In the thirty plus years I’ve been a golfer, I have played a lot of golf in Devon, but it’s almost exclusively been on the wild Atlantic coast at Saunton and Royal North Devon - where I’ve been a country member for nearly two decades. My only experience away from the north side of the county was at Bovey Castle on Dartmoor. The course (and hotel) had enjoyed an incredible transformation when the famous entrepreneur Peter de Savary took it over in the 2000s.

So, when the opportunity came up to visit the Cary Arms, another of de Savary's properties, it took me a matter of minutes to say yes. There's no golf course on site, but the seaside inn has formed a link with Teignmouth Golf Club, just eight miles up the coast. Two weeks before I was due to visit the sad news broke that de Savary had died, so the trip felt like a poignant one.

Nestling in picturesque Babbacombe Bay, the Cary Arms is a luxury 5* boutique hotel where guests stay either in rooms at the inn or in a selection of beautiful cottages that are dotted around the little lanes that surround it. We were staying in Cove Cottage that sleeps up to six and, like all of the cottages, enjoys absolutely glorious views over the bay.

Checking in was an experience. The road sign highlighting the 30% hill and twisting nature of the road that takes you down to the Cary Arms from Babbacombe hinted what was to come, but the reality was another level. I was very glad to be driving a Porsche Macan T for the duration of the trip. The SUV was poised and calm (unlike its driver) when having to perform a series of three point turns, on a wet, leaf-covered road, on a 30% hill, in the dark!

Refreshed from a great night's sleep, the next morning I set off on the journey to Teignmouth. This was another chance for the Porsche to show its qualities as the drive was along a twisting coastal road to the pretty town of Shalden, over the bridge that straddles the River Teign and up a hill to the club. 

On arrival, the forecast sunshine was yet to break through and a layer of mist sat in the Teign Valley obscuring what, according to the pictures on the club's excellent website (well worth a vicarious look even if you have no plans to visit), were quite magnificent views. For my round I’d been paired up with three local members: Mark, PJ and Andrew, who all proved to be fantastic company and excellent guides advising me well on how to tackle the strategic test of the Alister MacKenzie design.

MacKenzie is of course most famous for his work designing Augusta National, home to the US Masters, but the Yorkshireman’s creations can be found all over the world. In his book, ‘Golf Architecture’, MacKenize lays down 13 principles or hallmarks for what makes for a good course - from there being a minimum of blind approaches, to the course being equally good in winter as it is in summer. Re-reading these principles after my visit, I can confidently say that the course at Teignmouth manages to tick all 13 boxes. 

The layout was testing, but it didn't beat you up. It tempted you to take on some heroic shots but always offered a ‘safe’ option off the tee, and it served up birdie chances on a regular basis. The biggest compliment I think I could pay Teignmouth is that I don't think you’d ever tire of teeing it up there such is the variety of holes and the beauty of the views - both internal (i.e of the course) and external with the contrast of Dartmoor to one side and the Teign Valley and out to sea the other.

If I had to pick a favourite hole it would be the 8th. ‘The Road Hole’ is a sweeping dog leg left where you drive across a dip to a fairway that plays up to a green with a false front. It’s only 361 yards from the medal tees but a par here is anything but a given, even for better players.

Special mention should also go to the superb collection of par 3s - five in total that range from a precision shot with a short iron (2nd and 16th) to really good blows with a long iron or fairway wood (7 and 11), or even driver on the 18th. 

After the round it was time to return to the clubhouse and enjoy a post-round pint and the stunning views that had appeared when the sun broke through. Having a sundowner on the terrace in the summer must be a fantastic way to sign off a day at Teignmouth.

While I was golfing, my wife and daughter enjoyed a treatment at the small but excellent spa, which is another major reason to visit the Cary Arms. Back at Cove Cottage, there was enough time for a family game of Scrabble around the kitchen table and a relaxing bath before heading down for dinner. Even though it's only a five minute walk, the road is steep and, dressed for the occasion, we decided to take advantage of the Cary Arms’ electric minibus shuttle service.

We had a lovely table on the conservatory looking out to sea - on a summer's evening the views would have been spectacular. Being right on the sea the menu is a mix of freshly caught seafood and fish and lots of gastro classics. Suitably replete, we were even more grateful for the shuttle to take us back to Cove Cottage.

A glorious sunrise heralded Sunday and in a bid to justify what I'd been told by my wife and daughter was a spectacular breakfast, I walked down to the stone pier where fishermen were busy at work, and I then walked round the bay to Oddicombe Beach.

The red cliffs behind the bay were bathed in sunshine and I took a huge number of pictures on my phone that needed no filters or editing to do them justice. Over on Oddicombe Beach there was a hardy group of open air swimmers. Some in wetsuits, some just in swimsuits enjoying a refreshing dip. They looked like they were having fun despite the autumn chill.

The 40-minute round-trip walk certainly did the job of stoking my appetite and there were lots of breakfast options from continental choices through to classics like Eggs Benedict, but rather predictably I had my eyes firmly set on the full Devon breakfast - and it didn’t disappoint.

There was still some time to enjoy relaxing in Cove Cottage admiring the view out to sea before we packed our things into the Porsche and headed off back home. The Porsche was as impressive on the way home as it has been throughout the whole trip adapting to the Motorways, A and B roads with equal measure, and the three-and-a-half hour journey gave us ample time to reflect on a fabulous couple of days away in this lovely part of the world. Our overriding thought… We’ll be back!

For more information on the Cary Arms & Spa and prices for stays, visit caryarms.co.uk

New Golf’s Greatest Holes TV Series Launched

For those of us who are as enthused by golf courses as we are by the game itself, there has been very little dedicated television coverage in recent times. The series lands on NBC GolfPass on 8 March following critical acclaim from major broadcasters around the world.

Aside from their use for regular tournament play, we have seen little of some of the amazing golf holes you can find in all corners of the world. Happily, that is all about to change.

Golf's Greatest Holes is a new series devised and presented by BBC personality Chris Hollins along with former Ryder Cup-winning captain, Paul McGinley.

I went to meet them at Sunningdale, to talk about this exciting new project. I also played a hole with Paul while he talked about design for the November issue of Golf Monthly.

The project is the brainchild of 7-handicapper and 2009 Strictly Come Dancing winner Hollins. Lockdowns led to a stop-start inception, but happily the first series has now been filmed. It is set in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

There will be six 30-minute episodes, with the two extremely knowledgeable and entertaining presenters playing some wonderful holes. These are at fabulous courses such as Royal County Down (the Golf Monthly number one), Ballyliffin, Adare Manor, Rosapenna and Lahinch.

During each, their love for courses and golf is obvious. They talk about the design, the setting, the history and anything else that is relevant to each hole.

The pair hope to film future series of Golf's Greatest Holes in the USA, the Caribbean, Australia and Europe. More than 20 broadcasters worldwide have already committed to screen the series across 160 countries.

According to Hollins, “As an avid golfer, I was keen to share what makes the game of golf so special in terms of social interaction out on the course, as well as the amazingly beautiful courses that golfers dream of playing and many have on their bucket list."

“We’ve been fortunate to explore legendary landscapes and embrace local anecdotes, while playing signature holes together that literally take your breath away. I couldn’t be happier with the first series and hope golfers enjoy watching it as much as Paul and I did making it.”

There is more information on the website, golfsgreatestholes.com.

In time, this will also allow golfers to see behind-the-scenes footage, plan their own journeys and even suggest future destinations. For all golf course enthusiasts, this is extremely exciting news.

Investment under new ownership in recent years has raised the bar at Murrayshall near Perth both on and off the course. We went to take a look...

Murrayshall Golf and Hotel Review

Since coming under new ownership five years ago, the 365-acre country house estate with 28 holes of parkland golf at Murrayshall, three miles north-east of Perth above the Tay, has enjoyed over £2.5 million of investment to elevate the facilities both on and off the courses.

These improvement works have included all internal areas, bedrooms and suites, which have been beautifully refurbished, and the introduction of an outdoor pursuits programme.

There have also been significant improvements to both golf courses, including some fairly extensive bunker work.

The Murrayshall Golf and Hotel course

The main Murrayshall course plays around and below the hotel, parts of which date back to 1664. It offers great variety among its holes as the elevation changes ebb and flow. Things rise to a crescendo in the middle of the back nine, where the views are magnificent.

The par 3s are strong. The delightful little 4^th over water contrasts nicely with the sterner 16^th along a back-nine ridge. Both nines rise away from the clubhouse and hotel early on before dropping back down.

The final drop comes via the testing par-5 17^th. Precise play is required here to navigate a route past the trees, before the demanding 200-yard finale.

You’ll certainly remember the sharp dogleg-right 9^th along the entrance drive too, fittingly christened Devil’s Elbow. Most will need to hold back off the tee before making the sharp-right turn. But bigger hitters might just be tempted to take on more than they can really chew across the corner.

The Lynedoch course

The Lynedoch course then comprises ten holes a little higher up the slope above the hotel at the foot of the hills.

There are some excellent holes here, with narrower fairways adding to the challenge. By offering an affordable 'Lynedoch only' membership. Murrayshall has been able to significantly increase the number of golfers on its books.

Excellent practice facilities complete the golf offering, with the floodlit driving range extending for 350 yards. It serves up one of the best backdrops anywhere for a spot of practice.

Related: Best Places To Play Golf In Perthshire

Away from the course

Off-course, Murrayshall forms the perfect base for all sorts of other pursuits on or around the Tay. The team at the resort is able to advise on, or organise, walking experiences – guided or otherwise - salmon fishing, paddleboarding, kayak tours and more for hotel guests.

The Lynedoch Brasserie, with views out over the Perthshire countryside, is a great place to eat. So too is Stutts Bar and Grill in the clubhouse, which offers the kind of informal dining experience golfers often crave on their travels.

There's also a lovely courtyard area in which to relax before or after your round.

Bold future plans

If ambitious future plans for the resort come to fruition, a further £15 million investment over the next few years would see the addition of a new spa and leisure facility, an outdoor pursuits area, a new golf academy, an indoor games room, premium glamping units and lodges and an upgrade to a Toptracer range. Capacity would double from 40 to 80 rooms.

It's already a great place to visit, but these proposed improvements would make a Murrayshall Stay and Play break an even more appealing attraction.

To book go to murrayshall.co.uk

Elliott Heath enjoys a weekend in Northamptonshire at the impressive Whittlebury Park

Whittlebury Park Golf Break Review

Whittlebury Park lies across the road from the iconic Silverstone racing track and offers up a fantastic venue for a golf break.

The club has four loops of nine holes, with the grounds set amongst picturesque Northamptonshire countryside.

On our visit, we played the 1905 (yellow) and the Royal Whittlewood (red) courses.

The 1905 course is open enough for higher handicappers but gets tricky around the greens.

The standout holes are the beautiful dogleg-right par-4 7th, which is home to a beautiful oak tree on the apex of the dogleg, and the split-fairway par-4 8th, which is again impeded by beautiful woodland.

The long and straight par-5 ninth plays up to the clubhouse before we ventured out to the Royal Whittlewood course, which offers up plenty of variation.

It gets its name from the ancient Royal Whittlewood Forest and there are some visually striking holes in and amongst the trees as well as plenty of water to navigate along the way.

The dogleg-right par-4 opener requires an accurate tee shot before a carry over water onto the green, testing your skills early where a poor strike will lead to bogey or much worse.

Every hole on the red course is memorable and it is certainly the better and more testing of the two nines we played, and that's not to say that the 1905 was poor - the quality on offer is high.

We loved the downhill par-3 5th hole, which plays over water, and then the stand-out hole is probably the 6th, a par-4 that borders the beautiful countryside and winds its way through a chute in the trees and up towards the beautiful green setting.

Beginners will love the yellow course and lower-handicaps will enjoy the testing red.

We can't comment on the two other courses but are sure that a weekend playing all four loops of nine will be a joy.

Related: Stay and Play - Our UK and Ireland Top 50

Away from the golf, Whittlebury is also home to an exceptional Day Spa as well as a Leisure Club, featuring a pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzis, housed within the hotel complex just a few strides from the courses.

There's also a number of restaurants, including Astons, offering up relaxed and classic dining, and Murrays, which is a fine dining experience.

The Silverstone Bar is also a must-visit, with some very cool racing memorabilia and imagery.

Whilst the on-course facilities are great, the off-course amenities like the exceptional food and spa offerings make it a very well-rounded offering and a setting for a fantastic weekend or short break.

The hotel at Whittlebury features classic and club rooms as well as suites, with the sheer size of the place making it perfect for small, medium and large groups of golfers.

Whittlebury has a very relaxed and peaceful atmosphere with friendly staff and is home to a number of guests, from golfers to spa-goers, wedding and function guests.

The facilities are fantastic for groups of golfers as well as families and couples.

East Lothian's own David Jones, AKA UK Golf Guy, offers up his expert tips to help you get the most from your time on Scotland's Golf Coast...

East Lothian Golf Guide: Where To Play And Where To Stay

In Scotland, you’re never far from a golf course.

Some tourists try to chase around the country, ticking off the big name, bucket list courses as quickly as possible.

The problem with that is you will be exhausted when you arrive on every first tee, and you never really get to know an area at all.

Instead, why not consider staying in one place and exploring it in more depth?

I’m a bit biased - I live in Gullane! - but I think East Lothian fits the bill for such a trip perfectly.

It’s within an hour’s drive of Edinburgh’s airport or train station and when you arrive you will be welcomed by a wonderful coastline packed with some of the best links golf in the world.

When to go

East Lothian is one of the sunniest and driest parts of the country, and while it’s a brave person who doesn’t pack waterproofs just in case, you can get lovely days pretty much any time of the year.

April and May are usually good choices as the golf courses are blooming and are often pretty dry.

Green fees go up quite a lot in the peak summer months so Spring or Autumn usually make for a good value trip.

Where to play

There are so many courses to choose from so you will not be stuck for choice! Here are five of my favourites:

The West Links - North Berwick

If I could play one course every day for the rest of my life it would be the West Links at North Berwick.

I reckon it’s almost impossible to play North Berwick without a grin on your face from beginning to end.

The 1^st is a mid iron and wedge to a devilish green perched on a cliff top, and it keeps getting  better from there!

On many holes you can find yourself hitting from the beach, on others you will need to navigate over ancient walls.

There are more quirks here than you will see on pretty much any other course on the planet but that hasn’t stopped it ranking as one of the top 50 in the world. 

It’s simply a delight.

You finish up with a driveable par-4 but out of bounds and lots of parked cars lie waiting on the right hand side for an errant drive.

An adrenaline fuelled finish if there ever was one!

Dunbar

Dunbar lies about twenty minutes to the east of North Berwick and has quite the golfing pedigree having hosted The Scottish Amateur Open, the British Boys Championship and final Open Qualifying, amongst others.

The course is an absolute treat to play.

It’s bounded by the Firth of Forth on one side and a wall on the other.

You won’t find a huge amount of rough, instead you have to worry more about a wild shot sailing over the wall or into the water.

It’s a fun course but don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the scorecard – when the wind blows you will need your ‘A Game’ to score well.

Gullane 2

You can take your pick of any of the three Gullane courses when you visit East Lothian, but make sure you fit one in.

All three have magnificent views over to Edinburgh and Fife and provide a proper links test.

The conditioning at Gullane is always immense – you’ll be hard pressed to find better greens anywhere in the land.

Gullane 2 is the middle of the three courses in every sense.

Where Gullane 1 can be a bit of a brute at times, and Gullane 3 is a very short course, Gullane 2 has the best of both.

Fun holes, a good test and views to die for!

Musselburgh Links

This is a bit of a wildcard, but a round at the nine hole Musselburgh Old Links would be well worth a stop on your way out of Edinburgh towards Scotland’s Golf Coast.

It claims to be the oldest golf course in the world – with records of balls being hit here since the 17^th century!

The Open came here in 1874 and was played here six times in those early years.

The place absolutely oozes history and to get the most of your experience you should arrange in advance to hire some hickory clubs so you can play the course as Old Tom would have done all those years ago.

The course is largely unchanged since then and it’s a great glimpse of how the game was played when guile and imagination were  the order of the day.

Luffness New

As you drive into Gullane from the west it feels like you’re in golfing heaven, with courses everywhere you look.

The last course before you reach the village is Luffness.

For many years Luffness was a hard tee time to get, but in recent years they have been far more accommodating of guests.

Expect to get a real ‘old Scottish’ experience - many of the members here are also members down the road at Muirfield.

It’s well worth stopping for lunch, the wine cellar is one of the best you will find at any golf club!

The course is a classic Scottish links.

It may not have quite the quirkiness of North Berwick, or the views of Dunbar but the green complexes are really excellent and there is plenty to keep things interesting.

Like all the courses in this area, the conditioning at Luffness is always fantastic.

Related: 10 best Scottish golf courses under £100

Where to stay, eat and drink?

Golf is part of the DNA of East Lothian and golfers will be welcome everywhere but, for me, there are two options to get the most from your East Lothian trip. North Berwick is a golf town with a good selection of restaurants and pubs to enjoy.

It’s an easy drive from all of the courses you’ll be playing.

There are many small hotels and bed & breakfast options as well as numerous Airbnbs.

Make sure you choose something close to the town centre so you can walk everywhere easily.

There are plenty of good food options in town.

If you are looking for something relaxed then Herringbone or Zitto would do the trick.

For something a little bit grander, Osteria is well worth a visit

Another good choice of base would be Gullane.

It’s a bit smaller than North Berwick but is even more golf obsessed.

You can enjoy food in the wonderful Italian ‘Main Course’ just opposite the 1^st tee at Gullane 1 or have a pint in ‘The Old Clubhouse’ just next to the children’s course!

If you are looking for high end options then there are two to consider here.

The Bonnie Badger is a hotel/pub/restaurant owned by the Edinburgh restaurateur Tom Kitchin.

Greywalls is an East Lothian institution, a hotel with rooms overlooking Muirfield and fine dining courtesy of Albert Roux.

If you are a lover of links golf, and the history of the game, then a pilgrimage to East Lothian is a must.

Wherever you end up staying and playing you are assured of a warm welcome, and a good game!

Read more from David at www.ukgolfguy.com

A Scottish country estate and retreat like no other, Gleneagles is a home-from-home golfing paradise in five-star luxury surroundings…

Golf at Gleneagles remains one of the finest experiences in the UK, steeped in sporting history and scene to some of the greatest Ryder and Solheim Cup moments ever.

At the heart of this incredible 850-acre estate sits a trio of celebrated 18-hole championship golf courses, The King’s and The Queen’s, classically-styled James Braid layouts, and the more contemporary PGA Centenary Course, created by 18-time Major winner, Jack Nicklaus.

In these three courses there are special experiences awaiting everyone, whether you are a novice or a golf aficionado, and all perfectly grandstanded with truly exquisite vistas of the Perthshire countryside.

The King’s has enthralled visiting golfers from around the world for more than 100 years, with a wealth of iconic holes mapped over a landscape of heath and heather to give an altogether ‘inland links’ feel.

Marry this mighty challenge to its kinder, but no less testing, sister course, The Queen’s, one of the UK’s best par-68 layouts, and you have two of Braid’s greatest masterpieces that continue to inspire young and old.

Completing the trio, the PGA Centenary Course was created on ‘the finest parcel of land in the world I’ve been given to work with’ according to Nicklaus, and it has gone on to deliver modern-day, heart-stopping tournament drama like no other.

The 15^th hole saw Welshman, Jamie Donaldson, hit the shot that won Europe The Ryder Cup in 2014, and the 18^th was the setting for wild card pick, Suzann Pettersen, to hole the winning Solheim Cup putt for Europe in 2019.

Whether you are playing with family or friends, or attempting to win one of the biggest prizes in world team golf, Gleneagles promises golf drama like no other.

Beyond 18 holes…

If you are combining golf with a stay in the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel, your golf experience doesn’t need to begin and end with 18-holes of championship golf.

Guests can enjoy the delights of the nine-hole Par 3 Wee Course, or even rise to the challenge of an after-dinner match on the Pitch-and-Putt, perfectly situated in front of the Hotel.

Those taking their games more seriously, might like to visit the PGA National Golf Academy, one of the most complete practice facilities in Scotland, featuring a short game area, full-length range, and hi-tech swing analysis systems.

Away from the Course

Taking inspiration from the mountains, meadows and rivers of Perthshire, no trip is complete without a stay in the 5-star Gleneagles Hotel, where warm and friendly welcomes are always order of the day.

Leading into a world of sumptuous comfort, world-class dining and relaxation, this beacon of global hospitality is the perfect setting for golfing getaways, family celebrations, gatherings with life-long friends, or a get-away-from-it-all treat.

Food and drink experiences are an important ingredient in the Gleneagles recipe – whether that’s something from the Tandoor ovens in The Dormy, a relaxed brasserie lunch in the Birnam, or a pre or post dinner drink in the iconic Century Bar.

For more formal occasions, the theatrical dining experience in The Strathearn, one of the estate’s great traditions, is a must. As an overnight guest, it will also be the setting for a hearty Scottish breakfast the following morning, so don’t over-indulge the night-before!

Away from golf, a world of country pursuits awaits each guest. Supported with friendly tuition and professional guidance from a team of experts, Gleneagles is your opportunity to try your hand at something new, from air rifle shooting to falconry, horse riding to fishing and tree climbing to tennis. 

Gleneagles has, quite simply, something for everyone.

Tee up the perfect golf package

Play one of the UK & Ireland Top 100 ranked golf courses with an overnight stay experience in the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel. The ‘Tee it up’ package, based on two people sharing a room, starts from £645 per room, until September 30, 2021.

It includes:

• One round of golf per person on any of the three championship courses
• Overnight stay in a twin or double room
• Hearty Scottish breakfast in The Strathearn
• Full use of the Health Club leisure facilities
• Complimentary use of pitch and putt, outdoor tennis, Pashley bikes

Visit www.gleneagles.com to make an online booking or, alternatively, telephone: 0800 389 3737

Jeremy Ellwood heads to the south-eastern outskirts of Leeds to sample the grand Georgian hotel and golf courses at Oulton Hall

Oulton Hall Stay And Play Review

On course Calverley: par 71, 6,482 yards Hall: par 36, 3,600 yards

Oulton Hall is a four-star hotel with 27 holes of golf situated on the south-eastern outskirts of Leeds in Yorkshire, making it the perfect venue for a stay and play visit.

The 27 holes at Oulton Hall are arranged as the 18-hole Calverley course and the nine-hole Hall course. On the latter you get up close to the grand Georgian mansion by the green on the par-5 3rd.

The 6^th hole on the Hall course is a mid-length par 4 down the hill. But get out of position and you may have to think about laying up short of the pond fronting the green.

The 8^th is probably the toughest hole on this nine - a real toughie at 445 yards. You need to be a decent way up the left-hand side to open up a view of the green.

The back nine on the Calverley course has two extremely demanding par 3s early on in its 11^th and 14^th holes. The latter stretches to 230 yards between the trees off the tips.

Next you’ll encounter the unique short par-4 15^th, which doglegs late as it drops down to a sunken green. It could perhaps be a risk-reward hole for some. But for most, the risk will be far too great unless the pinpoint raking hook comes naturally to you!

A strong trio of par 4s then closes out your round.

Check out some of our other stay and play reviews in the north of England:

• Wychwood Park, Cheshire
• Formby Hall, Lancashire
• Slaley Hall, Northumberland

Off course

This grand mansion at Oulton Hall cleverly combines the elegance of a bygone era with the relaxed atmosphere that many modern travellers prefer.

There are 152 tastefully furnished first-floor bedrooms, which again vary in character between the more classic styling of the rooms in the Hall itself and a more contemporary decor and feel in the modern wing.

There are lovely grounds to wander through, and good health and spa facilities for when the golfing day is over, including an excellent pool.

You can dine in the elegant Calverley Grill or the more informal Claret Jug restaurant in the golf clubhouse. There’s even a Champagne Bar serving 50 varieties of the fizzy favourite!

Jeremy Ellwood heads to the Hertfordshire/Essex border for a stay and play visit to the Manor of Groves Hotel in Sawbridgeworth

Manor Of Groves Golf Stay and Play Review

On course par 71, 6,197 yards

This three-star hotel in Sawbridgeworth on the Hertfordshire/Essex border lies 20 minutes from Stansted Airport.

The golf course at Manor of Groves opened in 1991 and plays either side of a narrow country lane. The opening trio and holes 13-18 play over more open-feeling terrain up and down a  slope.

When you return to this part of the course after the 12^th, the par-3 13^th is a shortish but pretty little par 3 with a stream running across the front of the green.

This is also the part of the course where you’ll find the longer par 4s and the layout’s two par 5s. The 2^nd is probably the toughest par 4 on your first visit to this part of the course. It stretches to 427 yards up the hill.

The 18^th is then a monster par 5 at over 600 yards off the tips. Mercifully, the first two-thirds are back down that same hill!

The 4^th to 12^th holes weave around the entrance drive the other side of the lane, and things are a little tighter and more thought-provoking here, with the short dogleg par 4s at the 4^th, 6^th and 12^th testing accuracy and position far more than length.

The difference between the two parts of the course is similar to that at Aldwark Manor in Yorkshire, where you start and finish on the more fiddly holes around the hotel either side of a visit to the more open-feeling holes the other side of the river.

Check out some of our other south England stay and play reviews:

• Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire
• Hever Castle, Kent
• Bramshaw Golf Club and The Bell Inn, Hampshire

Off course

The grand main Georgian Manor House was restored and converted into a hotel in the late 1980s and early 1990s and now boasts 80 rooms plus a state-of-the-art leisure club.

The Health Club facilities include a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, steam room, saunas, Jacuzzi, solarium, a three-tier air-conditioned Technogym, aerobic studio and sun terrace.

Food is served in La Brasserie Restaurant, The Atrium Bar or the Viewing Gallery Golf Lounge over in the clubhouse. The relaxed Atrium Bar is also the perfect spot for a pre- or post-dinner drink or cocktail.

Jeremy Ellwood enjoys a not-to-be-missed stay and play golf break on the magnificent Leeds Castle estate near Maidstone in Kent

Leeds Castle Golf Stay and Play Review

On course par 34, 2.843 yards

The very pretty, compact nine-hole course dates back to 1931 when Sir Guy Campbell (who also designed the fine heathland course at West Sussex) was commissioned by Leeds Castle owner, Lady Baillie, to create a golf course for her house party guests to enjoy.

The layout is a real contrast of styles. In places, it feels almost heathland; elsewhere it is reminiscent of the course at Knole Park further west in Kent at Sevenoaks.

You’ll need to have your wits about you over the short but very tight opening holes. The 1^st plays blind over a crest and the 2^nd then presents you with a narrow funnel of a fairway.

The 3^rd is where that semi-heathland feel kicks in, a potentially drivable par 4 with a wide, shallow green.

The 5^th invites you to open your shoulders as you fire one down towards the castle itself via an extremely generous fairway. The long and difficult 6^th then hugs the moat all the way to its green, all the while serving up distracting views of the magnificent castle.

You head away from the castle on the down-and-up 7^th before looping back for home via an uphill par 3 then a short but testing par-4 finale. Precision off the tee is paramount here if you’re to set up a simple short iron up the hill and over the water to the most-bunkered green on the course.

Other golf stay & play options in grand settings Hever Castle, Kent Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire Meldrum House, Aberdeenshire

Off course

The chance to stay and play in the grand setting of Leeds Castle in Kent, which Henry VIII transformed into a royal palace, is a rare privilege.

You don’t stay in the castle itself, but there are many different accommodation options from B&B in the Stable Courtyard or Maiden’s Tower, to one of several lovely holiday cottages or even a spot of glamping in fittingly medieval pavilions.

The courtyard rooms are beautifully decorated in keeping with the ambience of the whole estate, and dining in the excellent Castle View Restaurant is a real treat, almost more so out of season with the castle lit up spectacularly against the night sky.

One of the real bonuses of a stay and play visit to Leeds Castle is that all staying guests get a free pass to the castle and grounds where there is a huge amount to see and do. You are also welcome to walk the gardens and grounds outside of normal visitor hours.

The whole estate covers 500 acres, ranging from open parkland to the beautiful Culpeper and Princess Alexandra Gardens and much more.

Leeds Castle’s mix of enjoyable golf with luxury accommodation and a rich heritage makes for a unique stay and play experience.

Jeremy Ellwood heads down to the renowned championship links at Burnham and Berrow in Somerset for a stay and play break

Burnham And Berrow Stay And Play Review

On course Burnham and Berrow

Championship course: par 70, 6,475 yards (Spoon course - each set of tees has its own name) Channel course: par 70, 5,852 yards (twice round 9 holes) Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside, us golfing Brits. So it’s great that a number of our top links also offer comfortable, cosy accommodation. This means you can get straight out of bed on to the 1^st tee… perhaps preferably stopping off for a hearty clubhouse breakfast en route.

The Championship course at Burnham and Berrow , ranked 30^th in our UK & Ireland Top 100, starts with a narrowish uphill par 4 between the dunes. The 2^nd is then just a superb rollercoaster links hole.

You get great views of the Bristol Channel from the elevated 4^th tee before tackling a simply gorgeous short par 3. Then it's on into the late front-nine marsh holes where, unusually for a links, reeds and rushes line the fairways.

The 9^th, worryingly christened ‘Wreck, is one of a quartet of well-bunkered par 3s at Burnham and Berrow.

Other great links courses with dormy accommodation Formby Royal St David's Royal Porthcawl

On to the back nine

You’ll remember the par-5 13^th with its long, slender green, and the short par-4 16^th, where the green boasts plenty of interesting movement.

The links finishes strongly with the excellent par-3 17^th and a testing par-4 finale doglegging round to the left.

You must also find time for the excellent nine-hole Channel course, which plays very strong second fiddle.

The first four holes hug the watercourse edging the marsh. Coming home you climb up on to the dune ridge from the 6^th, with every hole memorable from here to the end.

Off course The dormy house at Burnham and Berrow - the red-brick building on your left as you enter the car park - offers six comfortable, airy twin rooms.

Those needing to keep up to speed with work or who like to take a photograph or two out on the links will be pleased to know that there is a more than adequate number of well-placed electric sockets, including USB options – something that is most definitely not always the case.

The dormy house has a garden area too, so you can enjoy your own little bit of private space in fine weather.

Before you head for the links, take advantage of Burnham and Berrow’s fine practice facilities. These include a long driving range and an excellent short-game area by the path leading down to the Channel course.

Jeremy Ellwood heads to the famous Oxfordshire town of Henley-on-Thames to enjoy a stay-and-play golfing break at Badgemore Park

Badgemore Park Stay And Play Review

On course par 69, 6,129 yards The parkland course at Badgemore Park just outside Henley-on-Thames opened in the early 1970s, since when it has continued to invest and evolve, with newly planted trees complementing the many pre-existing strategically placed specimens.

Recent changes include new, more undulating greens on the 1^st and 5^th holes, with the one on the 1^st also extending the hole by some 40 yards.

Heading out, you’ll also remember the long, tough par-4 3^rd as it slingshots round to the left, the short dogleg-left par-4 7^th with its blind drive, and the daunting drive on the 9^th, where you must find the gap if you’re to enjoy a shot at the green.

Coming home, the short par-4 10^th is one of the most visually attractive holes on the course, but it’s no pushover as you’ll have to really thread the needle on your approach if you stray out of position.

The 12^th and 13^th are then a good back-to-back pair, the former a potentially drivable risk-reward par-4 and the latter probably the pick of the par 3s playing across a shallow valley.

On the final run for home, look out for the three sharply left-to-right doglegs of varying lengths on 15, 16 and 18 that will further test your positional play.

The 16^th is the longest of the trio, but even on the two shorter holes, the placement of your drive will dictate the straightforwardness – or otherwise – of your approach shot.

Check out some of our other south-east stay and play reviews:

• Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire
• Hever Castle, Kent
• Bramshaw Golf Club and The Bell Inn, Hampshire

Off course This family-owned club has continued to invest off the course too as it moves rapidly towards its half-century milestone in 2022.

The club is now able to offer four-star B&B accommodation in a lovely building close to the 9^th green and new chipping green set to open in autumn 2020.

The eight rooms (five doubles, two triples and a large family room) are maintained to a very high standard, with each room individually decorated.

Breakfast can be taken in the clubhouse, but there’s also a kitchen and lounge for residents to use as they wish, plus the excellent FOCUS, a state-of-the art fully equipped gym in the clubhouse, where you’ll also find an extensive free-weights area, plus stretching and relaxation zones.

The beautiful riverside town of Henley-on-Thames lies a little over a mile away.

Rob Smith thoroughly enjoys a visit to one of the most attractive golfing venues in the south-west

St Mellion International Resort Stay and Play Review

Nicklaus - Par 72, 6,612 yards

Kernow - Par 70, 5,297 yards

The Jack Nicklaus course at St. Mellion offers that perfect combination of the old and the new; a top-flight championship course with all mod-cons running through picturesque, historic parkland.

It is currently a Golf Monthly Next 100 course and was the first in Europe designed by the golfing legend. It is also a very challenging examination that was home to the B&H International in the early 90s, producing winners such as Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer.

The Cornish countryside makes for a particularly scenic setting, and there are plenty of memorable holes with water a regular feature - both very attractive and at times very intimidating.

The course has its very own Amen Corner that starts the back nine. At its heart is the par-3 11 th which is played from an elevated tee, down over a pond

The next hole is a real monster - a genuine 3-shotter played to a green fronted by a stream that accompanies you all the way up the right.

There is a variety of accommodation on the 450-acre estate, both in the 4-star hotel and the lodges in the grounds. Dining options include the 2-AA Rosette An Boesti restaurant, there is a spa, tennis, a gym and fitness centre, and no fewer than three swimming pools.

The remodelled Kernow Course offers a more forgiving, golf ball-friendly but still very attractive and enjoyable alternative. St Mellion is a first-class golfing destination which more than rewards the journey and has something for everyone.

Situated right in the centre of England’s golf coast, Formby is perfectly located for other top courses as well as a destination in its own right. Rob Smith explains...

Formby Golf Club Stay and Play Review

Par 72, 6,489 yards

Formby is a historic club with a wonderful course that sits proudly in 41st place in the Golf Monthly Top 100. Coastal erosion over many years has led to changes, and a few more are being carefully planned already by the forward-thinking members to safeguard the future and quality of this beautiful and varied links.

The course is kept in tip-top order and runs in an anti-clockwise direction around the lovely and very enjoyable Formby Ladies course, itself also very much recommended. Guests are rightly encouraged to play both during their stay.

The first three holes hug the railway line before you change direction and head into the dunes. The holes are then very distinctive with a superb par 4 at 7 and an excellent, meandering par 5 at 8.

The 10th is a fine short hole and the 11th plays up to a green that is surrounded by dunes.

Strong holes take you all the way home - particularly two very tough par 4s at 14 and 15.

There is some light relief at the short 16th, before a par 5 and another very strong par 4 lead you home to sanctuary.

Formby Ladies has its own course, but despite its modest 5,356 yardage, it is still a genuine test with heather a regular hazard. It is also enormous fun and has some terrific holes including two cracking par 3s, the 5th and 12th.

The Dormy House sleeps up to 10 in 4 twin and two single rooms, and is right in the heart of the very impressive clubhouse. Guests are also able to enjoy a frame or two in the 1st-floor snooker room.

Breakfast is included in the spacious Dining Room which offers terrific views out over the course, and Formby Golf Club is an ideal base for a journey round a treasure chest of top-class golf.

Rob Smith discovers a luxurious golfing base situated in the heart of Fife

Hawkswood Country Estate Stay and Play Review

It’s not often that we feature a destination in a Golf Monthly Stay & Play Review that doesn’t have its own course - but then it’s not often that we encounter such a perfect golfing destination whose location and facilities more than compensate for this.

The Hawkswood Country Estate is simply perfect in terms of location, practice facilities, accommodation and service. Just a few minutes’ drive from the Home of Golf, it is ideally secluded away, midway between St Andrews and Kingsbarns to the east, and Fife’s southern stars such as Dumbarnie Links, Elie and Lundin.

There is a variety of beautifully appointed 5-star accommodation, as well as an excellent 4-room B&B where the catering and welcome is superb. Spacious Bowhill B&B is just as tastefully appointed, and the breakfasts and friendly and personal service are all that any golfer could wish for.

There is also an onsite full-length driving range - right outside your room - ideal for warming up before a game or conducting an after-golf post-mortem!

Two beautiful properties, Hawkswood House and The Roundel, each sleep up to 10.

Each also has its own short game area with full-size putting green and practice bunkers, ideal for practice or friendly competition.

Catering and services can be adjusted for each property to suit individual tastes and budgets, making Hawkswood Country Estate the ideal home for small groups visiting St Andrews and Fife, an area simply packed with wonderful golf including many courses in the Golf Monthly Top 100 and Next 100.

A Stoke Park stay and play break is a memorable experience thanks to 27 holes of golf and amazing off-course facilities. Jeremy Ellwood pays a visit...

Stoke Park Stay And Play Review

On course Colt: par 35, 3,341 yards Alison: par 35, 3,242 yards Lane Jackson: par 36, 3,070 yards

Golfers will want to sample all three nines during their stay, and all three have undergone major upgrades and transformations in recent years, now displaying some very bold bunkering that both frames the holes and adds to their strategic challenge.

The original course, comprising what are now the Colt and Alison nines, arrived in 1909, with the Lane Jackson nine - set around the boating lake and a little shorter than the other loops - a delightful later addition.

The Colt nine opens with a reasonably generous par 4 but quickly comes alive on the down-and-up par-3 3^rd across a valley to a well-bunkered target. The long par-4 4^th is then fully deserving of its Stroke Index 1 status, with OOB right a constant threat.

The 7^th ranks among the most famous holes, as it provided the inspiration for Alister MacKenzie’s 16^th at Augusta National. You may not ‘get this’ when you play it, but once you learn that the 16^th green at Augusta was originally set the other side of the lake, it all falls into place.

The holes here wend their way through mature parkland and some wonderful arboreal specimens, with the second hole on the Alison nine among the visual highlights - a truly delightful short par 3 across water to a beautifully framed green.

The Alison nine concludes with an excellent four-hole stretch from the very well-guarded par-3 15^th the other side of the entrance drive.

Off course The iconic white 18th-century mansion at Stoke Park must surely provide one of the grandest stay-and-play experiences in the UK, dominating the landscape and forming a striking backdrop to a number of the 27 holes. Even those who have never before visited will often recognise it as it played a starring role in the James Bond film, Goldfinger.

It was Nick Lane Jackson, after whom the third nine is named, who purchased the property in 1908 with a view to transforming it into a luxury golf club and hotel, and today there are 49 rooms in total - 21 in the mansion and 28 more contemporary ones in the Pavilion that also houses the excellent spa and pool.

As you would expect, the facilities here are second to none, with The President’s Bar, The Orangery and Humphry’s all excellent spots to while away a few hours in the mansion house, with Humphry’s fine-dining restaurant proudly boasting three AA rosettes.

The sports and leisure facilities are comprehensive too, with the spa offering 11 treatment rooms and an outdoor Scandinavian sauna among other things, while the spacious gym offers a host of state-of-the-art fitness equipment.

Tennis is a major part of the Stoke Park set-up too, with 13 tennis courts in total offering a variety of surfaces from artificial clay to indoor and grass. Every year in the week prior to Wimbledon, Stoke Park hosts its annual Boodles tournament, attracting some of the biggest names in the game.

Any Stoke Park stay and play visit is sure to provide a truly memorable experience.

Jeremy Ellwood visits Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort on the banks of the Clyde just ten minutes from Glasgow Airport

Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort Review

On Course Par 70, 6,507 yards Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort is an impressive hotel with a Dave Thomas-designed parkland creation, which is now ten years old. The Earl of Mar course is set over gentle slopes by the Erskine Bridge above the River Clyde.

It belies its youth with its maturity and offers fine views down to the river and across to the Kilpatrick Hills. Several holes flank the banks, perhaps most memorably the par-5 15^th as you play towards the bridge.

You get up close and personal with the imposing structure on the 2^nd tee, a strong downhill par 3 to a green well-framed by mature trees, then drop down towards the river on the 3rd before playing along it in an easterly direction for three holes. You then have trees on the fairway to negotiate on the long par-4 7th.

The back nine starts with a very pretty, short par-3 protected by three or four big trees, with the 12th then a fine-looking hole that plays gently up towards the hotel and bridge along the higher terrain. You descend back down to the river banks on the short par-4 14th past one or two sizable bunkers then turn along the river on that 15th hole to play directly towards the bridge.

Off Course The hotel building at Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort is a grand, gothic affair looking out over the course. The building was restored to its former glory in 2004, with many original features retained in its conversion to a five-star hotel boasting 52 rooms and suites.

Chandeliers and elegance abound in the high-ceilinged Cristal Restaurant, where local Scottish produce is the order of the day. Perhaps best of all, Mar Hall lies just 10 minutes from Glasgow airport.

Jeremy Ellwood visits Wychwood Park Hotel and Golf Club near Crewe in Cheshire to take on the challenge of its 21st century golf course

Wychwood Park Hotel and Golf Club Stay and Play Review

On course Par 72, 6,374 yards The 21^st century newcomer near Crewe is a big golf course laid out over 200 acres of rolling Cheshire countryside, so make sure you choose the right tees for maximum enjoyment. The 1st serves up a generous drive, but then a more testing lay-up and tricky approach to a green boasting a central crest.

The long par-4 4^th can be a real brute into the wind, with the 6^th and 7^th both good holes heading out. The former is a par 3 playing downhill over a marshy area, while the latter is a sprawling par 5 with a split fairway and a linksy-feeling green.

The inward half requires you to negotiate a tree in the middle of the 10^th fairway and a large pond on the pretty par-3 17^th, which can stretch to 216 yards off the tips. The par-5 12^th is perhaps the standout hole visually, especially off the elevated back tee. Both nines finish strongly, with the par-5 18^th a birdie chance if you can safely negotiate two more trees in the middle of the fairway.

Off course The Wychwood Park Hotel has a spacious feel and has just completed phase one of a £3 million improvement and refurbishment programme to its bedrooms, bar, restaurant and public areas. The good-sized bedrooms offer plenty of light and excellent facilities, with all 110 of them now boasting brightly coloured interiors and contemporary styling.

That contemporary feel extends to the restaurant too, where the excellent menu includes delights such as pheasant supreme or monkfish wrapped in Parma ham. Bar Vista is then a relaxed and very roomy place for a drink, as is the Claret Jug in the golf clubhouse looking out over the 9^th and 18^th greens.

Wychwood Park Hotel also opened its new fitness suite in September 2019 to provide a small range of fitness and training equipment to hotel guests on a complimentary basis 24 hours a day. This compact suite features a rowing machine, exercise bike, treadmill, cross trainer, weights and an adjustable weight bench.

The hotel is undertaking the final stages of its multi-million pound refurbishment project in late 2019, with a view to unveiling the finished article before the end of the year.

The over-riding feeling at Wychwood Park Hotel is one of space.

Jeremy Ellwood heads north to Aberdeen to take in the delights of Meldrum House Golf Club and its magnificent baronial country house hotel

Meldrum House Golf Club Stay and Play Review

On course Par 70, 6,367 yards This superb country house hotel lies just 20 miles north-west of Aberdeen, and only about 20 minutes from the airport. The golf course at Meldrum House has to be one of the best and most interesting parkland designs in Scottish golf, old or new, for there is so much interest and challenge within its holes.

The 1st hole sets up beautifully with water short of the green to factor in to your tee shot and approach. The 2^nd hole serves up a bit of a reprise with a less generous fairway and a slightly more threatening pond on the right.

The tough par-4 4^th and 7^th holes will test your mettle, though in between the par-5 5^th is a real chance to open the shoulders and perhaps get home in two with its downhill approach. The 8^th is then a quite delightful hole playing over and then alongside water to a rollercoaster green protected by three towering pines.

On the back nine, look out for the 11^th, where the final approach is protected by no fewer than 15 bunkers, with a superb and varied final trio then providing a memorable finish.

The par-5 16^th plays quite steeply downhill and a decent drive may leave you in two minds as to whether or not to take on the stream just short of the green. The 17^th is then a very clever little par 4 playing round to the right, and the final hole is a medium-length par 3 where the front left corner of the green is mischievously protected by a big tree.

Off course The hotel is a very special experience indeed. You drive down past the golf course through avenues of rhododendrons, with the sense of anticipation rising as you make your final approach to the magnificent, 13^th-century, quintessentially Scottish baronial castle.

You’ll enter through the mansion doors, but your room may well be in the extension wing opened in 2016, where many of the rooms enjoy glorious views out over the golf course – mine gazed out over the 4^th and 7^th holes and, aided by a little bit of elevation, they looked an absolute picture as the sun gradually set.

You can dine in the Pineapple Restaurant, or choose the cosy, snug 1236 At The Cave Bar as I did, thoroughly enjoying its wonderful ambience and extremely tasty menu. This 800-year-old room is also home to whiskies galore should you wish to tarry awhile and reflect on a splendid day’s golf.

Jeremy Ellwood pops down the road with the family to play Hever Castle Golf Club and stay in the magnificent accommodation within the castle grounds

Hever Castle Golf Stay and Play Review

With its strong historical associations with King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle near Edenbridge in Kent is one of the UK's most famous and most visited castles.

Golf on the estate dates back to the 1920s when the Astors had a private nine-hole course created for them in the grounds to the north of the lake, but that course would later fall victim to the war effort in the 1940s.

For 50 years, Hever remained golfless, but that changed in the 1990s with, first, the creation of Hever Castle Golf Club's Championship course over the King's and Queen's nines in 1992, and then the slightly shorter Prince's nine in 1998.

On course Championship course: par 72, 6,502 yards The King’s and Queen’s nines play over rolling Kent countryside with water featuring often, perhaps most strikingly on the very pretty par-3 12th. The short 6th and 179-yard 8th before that are both memorable one-shotters too, the latter featuring a green where you just can't afford to err long.

The penultimate hole on the Championship course is a 600-yard monster even off the yellow tees as you head for home.

Prince's course: par 33, 2,543 yards Water also features on two more pretty par 3s on the shorter Prince’s nine - the 3rd and the 6th, with the latter all carry over water and quite a stern and daunting test if you're playing off the tips at 184 yards.

This layout serves up a cluster of risk-reward two-shotters where accurate aggression may be rewarded, particularly on the 5th and 8th holes. Precision off the tee is essential on the fiddly 90˚ dogleg-right par-4 4th before you then play steeply up to the green.

Off course The fact that you can stay here too right next to the castle itself is the icing on the cake. I live locally, and although I knew there was a hotel by the golf club (a separate business) I didn't know you could actually stay in the Astor and Anne Boleyn wings beside the castle a few hundred yards back up the road - surely one of stay and play golf’s best-kept and grandest secrets?

The accommodation is absolute heaven. The 28 rooms are exquisitely decorated, with many looking out over a quite delightful courtyard. We stayed in the Falstaff room and my wife fell in love with the bathroom!

You can’t eat here of an evening, though several good pubs lie close by (try the Henry VIII within walking distance or The Wheatsheaf a couple of miles away), but breakfast is truly memorable, served in a magnificent wood-panelled room in keeping with Hever’s heritage. Breakfast fit for a king!

As a final and generous perk, guests in the Astor and Anne Boleyn wings enjoy complimentary admission to the castle and grounds during their stay, which at around £17 per day represents a nice little add-on that other stay and play options simply can't offer.

Jeremy Ellwood heads back to Thorpeness Golf Club and Hotel in Suffolk to stay at the popular hotel and play the excellent James Braid course

Thorpeness Golf Club and Hotel

On course Par 70, 6,311 yards This fine James Braid heathland course in Suffolk weaves through gorse, heather, pines and birch over easy-walking terrain. The opener is gentle, but from the sweeping dogleg 3^rd you’ll encounter a string of tough par 4s before dropping down on the par-3 7^th and crossing the road. The middle part of the green on the 7^th is precariously narrow, and with water lurking short-right, precision and care are required.

There are some splendid holes over the road, including two par 5s on the 9^th and 14^th that bring hope of a birdie or two before the run for home. The 10^th and 11^th at the far end play in opposite directions, one a tough par 3 if the wind is against, and the other an eminently reachable par 4 with the wind at your back.

A sharp dogleg left and testing long par 3 complete the challenge on this side of the road before you cross back for the final duo – a potentially drivable uphill par 4 and a longer one playing towards the famous House in the Clouds.

Off course The over-riding feeling at Thorpeness Golf Club and Hotel is that this is very much a proper golfer’s hotel. There is a real sense in Braid’s Bar and Ogilvie’s Restaurant that golf lies at the very heart of this place, with all the club’s honours boards proudly on display in the former, and the latter recently refurbished to a high standard.

Ogilvie’s sits right beside the 3^rd tee, so over dinner you can watch evening golfers do battle as the course begins to bare its teeth.

The rooms are comfortable and well-equipped and, to broaden the appeal of Thorpeness, Jiggers mini-golf has recently been created by The Meare, complete with miniature House in the Clouds.

Add in the delights of the unique village of Thorpeness and its unusual buildings, created by Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie early in the 20^th century, plus the picture-postcard town of Aldeburgh with its Top 100 course just down the coast, and this really is the perfect spot for a golfing getaway.

Jeremy Ellwood heads to Iron Bridge country in Shropshire to visit QHotels' Telford Hotel and Golf Resort

Telford Hotel and Golf Resort

On Course par 72, 6,741 yards

The course at Telford, where a young Woosie recorded his first pro win, delivered way more than I was expecting, and I thoroughly enjoyed my solo knock here as the sun gradually set. The back nine in particular is blessed with plenty of character, and the greens were putting very well.

The opening two holes are quite tight, and you remain in among the trees heading out, but with no real rough to speak of under them you can always chip back out. The 8^th is a sharp dogleg right, where the approach is over a pond and possibly a mature tree too unless you position your drive perfectly.

Coming home, I liked the self-enclosed par-3 11^th that plays up to a green backed by pines, and the risk-reward short par-4 15^th. You can probably kiss your ball goodbye here if you go for the slider and hold on to it.

Off course

The hotel blends the old with the new, with my corner room in the older part enjoying a double aspect over the golf course on one side and across to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Ironbridge Gorge the other.

There are 114 rooms in total ranging from Classic to Superior King, Deluxe and Family, and if all were like mine, you’re guaranteed a very comfortable stay indeed.

The 1779 Restaurant, named in honour of the year the famous first iron bridge across the River Severn opened, offers a sumptuous selection and I can heartily recommend the rosemary toad in the hole. The Gorge Bar and Lounge provides a more informal option with cracking views out towards the gorge.

The resort’s Spa and Health Club boasts seven treatment rooms and a 24-hour gym, plus a good-sized swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

Best Deal A two-night DB&B break in May, June, July or September 2019 with 36 holes of golf costs £155pp, based on two sharing. W: qhotels.co.uk

Expand Top 100 Golf Courses UK and Ireland 2021/22

Top 100 Golf Courses UK and Ireland 2021/22

Look at the new full list of Top…

For more course reviews and all the latest golf news, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood returns to his honeymoon hotel on the Isle of Skye

Skeabost House Stay And Play Review

Isle of Skye Golf Club Par 67, 4,776 yards

Greenfee: £25 per round

This delightful little nine-holer boasts impressive views inland to the mountains and out to sea.

Laid out by Dr Frank Deighton in 1964, the course is well kept and tremendous fun to play, boasting the kind of soft, forgiving turf many golfers find so accommodating.

It starts with a visually stirring par 4 down towards the water and the island of Raasay beyond, before turning right for its toughest test – the 447-yard 2nd, where the shore and out of bounds run all the way along the left. Mercifully, this hole morphs into a par 5 second time round.

Later on, slicers beware, for the shoreline switches to your right as you play the 6th.

A lovely place to play golf… and the weekly ticket is a mere £60!

Also play... Skeabost (skeabosthotel.com) has its own little nine-holer with the last two holes beautifully located by Loch Snizort. Accuracy is the key here, for the fairways are narrow and the greens often fiendishly small.

Skeabost House Hotel

This wasn’t my first visit to Skeabost, for I’d been here on honeymoon 18 years ago!

I’d also returned briefly ten years later, when it was in a bit of a sorry state, so I was delighted to find this former hunting lodge by the River Snizort lovingly restored and back to its very best, having become part of the Sonas Collection hotel group four years ago.

It was the classic Victorian styling and wood panelling that had first attracted me to Skeabost, and that is still there in abundance, but this cosy 18-bedroom hotel now offers the more contemporary Garden Rooms as an alternative.

That mix of old and new spills over into the dining, too, with the traditional wood-panelled main dining and breakfast room complemented by the light and airy West Pier restaurant with glorious views out over Loch Snizort.

Where else… Skeabost is perfectly located for a tour of the spectacular Trotternish Peninsula and the famous Old Man of Storr.

Best Deal

Bed and breakfast at Skeabost House costs from £99 per room until March 31, then from £228. Discounts available at Isle of Skye GC for Skeabost House guests. Golf at Skeabost is free if booked direct with the hotel.

Where

Isle of Skye Golf Club lies on the east coast of Skye at Sconser on the A87. Skeabost House Hotel is 30 minutes away on the A850.

Checklist

Isle of Skye Golf Club Buggy hire: N/A Power trolley hire: N/A Trolley hire: £2 Club hire: £8 Driving range: No. There is a net Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes, small shop Changing rooms: Yes Skeabost House Hotel Wi-Fi: Yes, free throughout Price of a pint: From £4.20

Expand Belton Woods Stay And Play Review

Belton Woods Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood visits the 36-hole resort in south…

Expand The Roxburghe Stay And Play Review

The Roxburghe Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood enjoys an overnight stay at this…

Expand Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood heads up to Tommy Fleetwood’s home…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood visits the 36-hole resort in south Lincolnshire

Belton Woods Stay And Play Review

Lakes course: par 72, 6,857 yards; Woods course: par 73, 6,681 yards

Greenfee: £45 per round

The courses at Belton Woods complement each other very well, with the Woods skirting around the outside of the Lakes in two separate loops of nine.

There’s water aplenty on the latter, with the first lake appearing short left of the pretty par-3 2nd.

It certainly makes you think at times, particularly just short of the 6th and 8th greens, and then on the strong par-5 finale, especially if you’re going for it in two.

There are more changes in elevation on the Woods layout, which plays alongside the resort’s lodges early on, before climbing to the highest ground for a loop of three excellent holes from the 4th.

Three pars 5s over the closing stretch bring hope of a late rally.

Also play… Stoke Rochford (stokerochfordgolfclub.co.uk) is a parkland course 12 miles south on the A1 where a river comes into play on four holes.

Accommodation

This QHotels resort has a choice of rooms from classic and executive to VIQ, where an upgrade will get you a host of extras.

It also offers a number of lodges mostly set alongside the 2nd and 3rd holes of the Woods course.

The extensively refurbished health club and spa offers plenty over and above a fitness studio, pool, gym and treatment rooms, with tennis, squash and even croquet and archery also available on site.

You can eat in Stantons Brasserie, which offers a splendid carvery and rotisserie dinner menu, or more informally in the Claret Jug, which doubles up as the clubhouse.

The outside terrace is a bustling place in the summer, and just perfect for enjoying a post-round drink while watching others try to stay out of the water.

Where else… The imposing, elevated Belvoir Castle (belvoircastle.com), complete with Capability Brown grounds, lies just ten miles away.

Best Deal

A one-night, dinner, bed-and-breakfast break with 36 holes of golf costs £99pp until the end of March (excluding Saturday nights).

From April it’s £109 for the same break.

Where

Belton Woods is just off the A1 near Grantham.

Turn off at Gonerby Moor Services on to the B1174 and follow the Belton signs.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £35 Power trolley hire: £10 Trolley hire: £5 Club hire: £25 Driving range: Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes, in the bars Wi-Fi: Yes Price of a pint: From £4 to £5

Expand New Woll Estate Stay And Play Review

New Woll Estate Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood discovers this lovely spot in the…

Expand Boundary Lakes Stay And Play Review

Boundary Lakes Stay And Play Review

Roderick Easdale takes a trip to the home…

Expand Bowood Stay And Play Review

Bowood Stay And Play Review

Mike Harris pays a return visit to this…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Roderick Easdale takes a trip to the home of Hampshire cricket

Boundary Lakes Stay And Play Review

Par 69, 5,154 yards

Greenfee: £30 weekdays or £35 weekends

The Boundary Lakes course has hidden subtleties and the odd blind shot.

I was fortunate to play with a most welcoming member, Brian Chambers.

This was last June and the course was running so fast that I soon learned to accept his advice to go for two clubs less than I would normally.

This is not a long course generally, and it has seven par 3s and three par 5s.

Views get better once the course moves away from hotel, car park and M27 surrounds and gets up among the rolling hillside.

The 16th tee, for example, has lovely distant views. The best holes are towards the middle of the course.

The par-3 9th is beautifully natural-looking with a fiendish staircase green.

Water only really imposes itself on four holes, although it features on seven of them.

Also play... The Willie Park-designed Stoneham (stonehamgolfclub.org.uk), which is undergoing a process of upgrading, is five miles away.

Accommodation

The 171-room Hilton at the Ageas Bowl forms part of the perimeter of the Ageas Bowl international cricket ground.

Those rooms facing the ground have balconies where you can watch the cricket.

But the golf clubhouse is also part of this complex – up 39 steep steps, as some elderly members grumble – and there is a terrace outside the clubhouse which is inside the cricket ground.

For Hampshire’s County Championship and 50-over games, golfers can watch the cricket for free while enjoying a post-round pint.

The main restaurant is Beefy’s, named after cricket legend Sir Ian Botham, which serves British cuisine.

There is also the Lakeside Sports Bar, which hosts afternoon tea, and the golf clubhouse, Boundary Bar, also serves food.

Other facilities at the hotel include a gym and a spa.

What else... Nuffield Southampton Theatres has two stages, one on the university campus and the other in the city, with a reputation for innovative new works.

Best deal

Bed and breakfast and two rounds for two people from £180.

Where

Just over a mile from junction 7 of the M27.

Hedge End station is two miles away.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £30 Trolley hire: £7.50 Power trolley hire: £15 Driving range: No (but there is a 20-yard-deep multi-lane net!) Club hire: No Putting green: Yes Short-game area: No Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes Price of a pint: £4.70

Expand Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Wales' top-ranked links course…

Expand New Woll Estate Stay And Play Review

New Woll Estate Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood discovers this lovely spot in the…

Expand Cowdray Park Stay And Play Review

Cowdray Park Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood ventures to the golf course and…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood discovers this lovely spot in the Scottish borders

New Woll Estate Stay And Play Review

Par 70, 6,010 yards

Greenfee: £20-£40 per round

The story of New Woll is a heartwarming one, with the current owners buying the estate almost on a whim in 2001 and gradually developing both course and clubhouse.

The course, which grew from nine to 18 holes as part of that, enjoys a delightful valley setting which reminded me of Sedbergh in Cumbria.

The opener doglefts sharply left over a free-flowing river, while the 4th - the longest hole - tees off from an elevated perch looking out towards the distant moors as you head to the furthest point.

There are some splendid holes around the turn, including the testing 10th flanked by a dyke on the right, and the run for home from the 14th is strong.

The 15th is a well-bunkered, self-contained uphill one-shotter, while the magnificent par-4 16th serves up an inviting tee-shot down to a fairway that sweeps to the right late on.

Also play... The James Braid Course at Hawick (hawickgolfclub.com) enjoys an elevated setting and offers up some glorious views.

Accomodation

There are six lovely four-star self-catering properties at New Woll looking out over the golf course, some very close to that elevated 16th tee.

All the properties feature spacious living areas with open-plan lounges, real oak-wood floors and natural stone feature walls and fireplaces.

There are beautiful grounds to explore and all the properties are just a short drive or stroll from the excellent clubhouse, where the Woll restaurant and bar serves excellent-quality food that attracts many non-golfing visitors, as well as golfers.

The clubhouse is spacious and airy and looks out over the opening and closing holes.

The story of New Woll is a real feel-good one and perhaps best of all, golf is free throughout the course of your stay.

Where else... The Borders Abbeys Way is a circular walk split into five sections, taking in four abbeys and seven Borders towns (bordersabbeysway.com).

Best Deal

Three nights self-catering breaks in the summer cost £669 per property for up to four people, with all golf free throughout.

Low-season prices start from £415 per property for three nights.

Where

The New Woll Estate lies in the Ale Valley just off the A7 in the village of Ashkirk, halfway between Selkirk and Hawick in the Scottish borders.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £22 per round

Trolley hire: £3 per round

Power trolley hire: N/A

Club hire: £6/£9 per round/day

Driving range: No (but one half a mile away)

Putting green: Yes

Short-game area: Yes

Pro shop: Small shop at reception

Changing rooms: Yes

Sky TV: No

Price of a pint: From £3.60

Expand Bowood Stay And Play Review

Bowood Stay And Play Review

Mike Harris pays a return visit to this…

Expand Slaley Hall Stay And Play Review

Slaley Hall Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Q Hotels’ beautiful Northumberland…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Mike Harris pays a return visit to this beautiful Wiltshire golf resort

Bowood Stay And Play Review

Par 72, 6,878 yards

Greenfee: £35-£75 per round

This Dave Thomas layout is less than 20 years old but feels a lot more established.

The natural design rolls beautifully over undulating parkland that was landscaped by the famed Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the latter part of the 18th century.

From the tips it’s only for the bombers – European Tour pro Jordan Smith plays here – but further forward it’s playable for all, with course management the key.

There’s an eclectic mix of holes to examine all parts of your game, from the sprawling opening par 5 – a true three-shotter – to shorter par 4s like the 14th that require careful strategy and precision.

Ben Emerson, one of the UK’s most cutting-edge coaches, runs a fine academy here using the latest game-improvement technology, such as Trackman and K-Vest.

Also play… Marlborough (marlboroughgolfclub.co.uk) is an excellent downland course with fine views across Wiltshire.

Accommodation

The Marchioness of Lansdowne designed the interiors of the 43-bedroom hotel, opened by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall in 2009.

The rooms and public areas blend modern styling with the heritage and tradition of the estate.

The rooms and suites are spacious and beautifully finished, with marvellous views over the countryside and golf course.

Fine dining, drawing on ingredients sourced from the estate, can be enjoyed in the hotel’s Shelburne Restaurant, while the Clubhouse Brasserie offers a more informal dining experience.

The excellent spa offers a range of treatments as well as an infinity pool, steam room and rock sauna – perfect for unwinding after golf.

Accommodation for up to eight is also available in Queenwood, a unique and stunning Georgian lodge set in its own enchanting gardens from where you can watch fellow golfers play adjacent holes.

Where else… Bowood House and Gardens is a great day out on your doorstep. You can explore the house with its rich history; the kids will love the adventure playground.

Best Deal

Stay and play from just £95pppn (based on two sharing) to include one round of golf each, full use of the spa, three-course dinner in the Shelburne Restaurant and a full English breakfast (from £125pppn with a second round of golf).

Where

Between Calne and Chippenham on the A342, just eight miles from J17 of the M4.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £35 per round Trolley hire: £5 per round Power trolley hire: £12 per round Club hire: £25 per round Driving range:  Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game/bunker area: Yes, plus three-hole academy course Pro shop: Yes, large shop Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes, in Clubhouse Brasserie Wi-Fi: Yes, free throughout Price of a pint: From £4.25

Expand Slaley Hall Stay And Play Review

Slaley Hall Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Q Hotels’ beautiful Northumberland…

Expand Cumberwell Park Stay And Play Review

Cumberwell Park Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood pays a visit to Wiltshire’s biggest…

Expand Foxhills Stay And Play Review

Foxhills Stay And Play Review

Elliott Heath visits one of the south of…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Q Hotels’ beautiful Northumberland resort

Slaley Hall Stay And Play Review

Hunting course: par 72, 6,850 yards; Priestman course: par 72, 6,597 yards

Greenfee: £110 per round

Since my last visit they have switched the nines around on the Hunting course, which has a moorland feel in places, with beautiful azaleas and rhododendrons lining other fairways.

This makes good sense, for although the 1st is now steeply uphill, it is not overly long, and the two par 5s that follow let you open your shoulders more than on the early holes of the back nine.

It also means that the final hole is now one of the best on the course, a testing long par 4 that plays gently back up to a raised green.

There’s water to contend with near the end, too – left of the par-4 14th and then on the long par-3 15th – before three suitably stout par 4s to close things out.

The sister Priestman course allows a little more room to manoeuvre.

Also Play... Northumberland GC (thengc.co.uk), laid out inside and around Newcastle Racecourse, lies just half an hour to the east.

The Hotel

This tastefully extended Edwardian mansion was transformed into a fine golf hotel in the 1980s and enjoys a secluded location just south of Corbridge amid majestic countryside.

It boasts 141 spacious rooms, including nine suites or double superior rooms in both the old and new parts of the hotel.

You can upgrade to the beautiful VIQ rooms for just £45 a night, where you’ll enjoy a complimentary mini bar and other extras.

Luxury Lodges are also available. Dining options include the Edwardian elegance of the Duke’s Grill, the informality of Hadrian’s Brasserie and the excellent Claret Jug, where you can sit outside and watch the action on the 10th tee and 18th green.

The excellent health club features a well-equipped gym, a heated swimming pool and a soothing sauna, while the spa offers a wide range of treatments.

Where else… This is Hadrian’s Wall country (hadrianswallcountry.co.uk), with many places steeped in Roman history to visit close by.

Best Deal

One-night breaks including two rounds of golf (18 holes on each course), dinner, bed and breakfast plus 20 per cent off drinks in the Claret Jug start from £99pp.

Where

Head south on the A68 from the A69 close to Corbridge and look out for the Slaley Hall signs.

Checklist

Green fee: £110 Hunting, £65 Priestman Buggy hire: £35 per round Trolley hire: £5 per round Power trolley hire: £15 per round Club hire: £45 per round (Titleist AP1, AP2 or AP3) Driving range: From £1 for 15 balls Putting green: Yes Short-game/bunker area: Yes Pro shop: Yes, large shop Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes, in Claret Jug and certain bedrooms Wi-Fi: Yes, free throughout Price of a pint: From £4.25

Expand Slaley Hall

Slaley Hall

Newcastle has always enjoyed a reputation as an…

Expand Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Wales' top-ranked links course…

Expand Foxhills Stay And Play Review

Foxhills Stay And Play Review

Elliott Heath visits one of the south of…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Elliott Heath visits one of the south of England’s premier country clubs

Foxhills Stay And Play Review

Longcross: Par 72, 6,750 yards; Bernard Hunt: Par 73, 6,892 yards

Greenfee: £100 Mon-Thurs, £110 Fri-Sun, £70-£80 for hotel residents

Foxhills is home to two superb courses, the Longcross and the Bernard Hunt, which is named after Foxhills’ first club pro, who went on to be a Ryder Cup captain.

The Longcross winds its way through the pine trees, putting accurate hitting at a premium.

It’s a truly gorgeous course that resembles similar tree-lined venues such as Wentworth and Woburn.

The downhill par-5 14th is a standout, and was once voted by BBC Radio 5 Live as one of the greatest holes ever made.

The par-3 16th over water is another exceptional hole, while the par-5 18th doglegs left around the last on the Bernard Hunt – both holes share the same green.

The Bernard Hunt course is the more open and longer of the two.

The par-4 6th plays from the top of the hill all the way down and back up again, offering great views, while the downhill par-3 8th is a beauty.

You can also try your luck on the Manor course, a fun yet tricky par-3 layout designed by Bernard Hunt.

There is also a driving range and numerous practice greens will help you hone your short game.

Also play… The fine tree-lined course at West Byfleet (westbyfleetgolfclub.co.uk) rewards straight hitting.

Accommodation

The stunning 19th century Victorian manor house, set in 400 acres of woodland, is the perfect place for an evening meal after a day on the course.

The restaurant offers an a-la-carte and six-course tasting menu.

Its patio overlooks the Manor course and there are meeting rooms upstairs.

The resort features 70 guest rooms in total, including standard rooms, family suites, junior suites, executive rooms and executive garden rooms.

All the rooms are near the facilities, which include swimming pools, a gym and tennis courts, as well as the golf courses. The spa offers treatments, an outdoor hot tub, Finnish sauna and natural dipping pool.

Where else... Thorpe Park (thorpepark.com) is a thrill-seeker’s dream. Less than five miles away, it features some of the best rollercoasters in Europe.

Best deal

A Golfers Galore break includes two rounds of golf, dinner, bed and breakfast. It costs £230 per person for one twin room from April to October and £165 between November and March.

Where

Foxhills is located in Lyne, Surrey, near Ottershaw and Chertsey. It is just five minutes from junction 11 on the M25.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £40 Trolley hire: £5 Power trolley hire: £15 Club hire: £45 Driving range: Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes Price of a pint: £5

Expand Foxhills Golf Club

Foxhills Golf Club

The two championship standard courses wind through mature…

Expand Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Wales' top-ranked links course…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood pays a visit to Wiltshire’s biggest golf complex

Cumberwell Park Stay And Play Review

Red/Yellow: par 71, 6,435 yards; Blue/Orange: par 71, 6,377 yards; Par 3: par 27, 1,411 yards

Greenfee: £35-£45 per round

Cumberwell Park is 25 years old next year, and things have come a long way since the first 18 holes opened in 1994 – today’s Red and Yellow nines.

These offer a mix of woodland and parkland holes, with water making its presence felt on the Red’s well-bunkered par-3 3rd, and unnervingly so on the Yellow’s par-3 16th.

The Blue nine, which arrived in 1999, is the longest of the four main nines and has two more par 3s over water.

The Orange nine (2007) plays over higher terrain and features a pretty rockery behind its final green.

Two years ago, an excellent par-3 course was added, with the Sawgrass-style island-green 8th the standout hole.

There is a great variety of holes from 109 to 180 yards and a further par-3 nine is under construction.

Also play… Kingsdown (kingsdowngolfclub.co.uk) is Wiltshire’s oldest club and enjoys a wonderful elevated setting just ten minutes away.

Accommodation

Cumberwell Country Cottages opened just over a decade ago, when an old tithe barn was converted into seven spacious one- and two-bedroom properties set around a courtyard.

The cottages are light and airy, and look out over a rear lawn flanked by well-tended gardens.

All cottages are well equipped with everything you might need for a self-catering break, from microwave to George Foreman grill!

All rooms are ensuite, with underfloor heating downstairs.

There are free laundry facilities should you get through the golf gear at an unexpected rate of knots, and each cottage has patio furniture for al fresco dining when the weather allows.

If you want to eat out, the golf club’s traditional oak-framed Wraxall Bar and Brasserie offers a comprehensive all-day menu.

Where else… The fabulous Roman spa city of Bath (visitbath.co.uk) a few miles west is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Best Deal

A two-night bed and breakfast stay at Cumberwell Country Cottages, including three rounds of golf at Cumberwell Park, costs from £175pp.

Where

Cumberwell Park lies on the A363 in Wiltshire, a couple of miles outside Bradford-on-Avon and seven miles east of Bath.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £20 per round Trolley hire: £5 per round Power trolley hire: £10 Club hire: £20 per round Driving range: Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: In the clubhouse Price of a pint: From £4.20

Expand Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood heads up to Tommy Fleetwood’s home…

Expand Cowdray Park Stay And Play Review

Cowdray Park Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood ventures to the golf course and…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood returns to Wales' top-ranked links course for a couple of nights in the club’s cosy dormy rooms

Royal Porthcawl Stay And Play Review

Par 72, 6,580 yards

Greenfee: £135-£150 per round or £180-£205 per day

This two-time Senior Open venue on the South Wales coast is the star of Welsh links golf.

It is a superb, and at times dramatic, test which sets its stall out from the start with a fine trio of holes flanking the boardwalk and beach.

You then turn back via a dauntingly long par 3 with a thought-provoking green and a fine par 5 where the final approach plays steeply up to a narrow target.

The golfing treats come thick and fast, from the tiny but well-defended par-3 7th to the exhilarating slingshot 9th and the demanding back and forth duo at 15 and 16, both of which feature devious cross bunkers and uphill approaches.

The 18th sweeps back down to the clubhouse, with its green almost 50 yards from front to back.

Also play… Pyle & Kenfig (pandkgolfclub.co.uk), with its amazing back nine, lies just a long par 4 away from Porthcawl.

Accommodation

A number of our finest links offer dormy accommodation, and there’s always something exciting about stepping off the course and not having to drive anywhere.

The accommodation at Royal Porthcawl comprises nine ensuite rooms – six singles and three twins.

The rooms are cosy, comfortable and warm rather than grand and spacious, but they provide travelling golfers with everything they really need.

The old wooden clubhouse has a very special ambience, and staying at Porthcawl not only means you can park yourself here post-round, lapping up the glorious sea views, but also enjoy a full and hearty breakfast next morning gazing out over the 1st.

Where else… The spectacular waterfall and heritage site at Aberdulais Falls (nationaltrust.org.uk) has provided a link between nature and industry since 1584.

Best Deal

The Sunday night special provides one round of golf after 3pm, an overnight stay and breakfast for £140pp from April to October.

From November to March, an overnight stay with breakfast and two rounds on consecutive weekdays costs £160.

Where

Take junction 37 off the M4 and follow the A4229. The course lies just north of the town.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £30 per round Trolley hire: £5 per round Power trolley hire: £14.50 per round Club hire: £39 per round (includes trolley and a sleeve of Pro V1s) Driving range: Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: No Price of a pint: From £3.80

Expand Royal Porthcawl video review

Royal Porthcawl video review

Jeremy Ellwood heads to one of the UK’s…

Expand Royal Porthcawl Golf Club Course Review

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club Course Review

Perhaps the greatest strength of Wales’ finest links…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood ventures to the golf course and lodge on this famous Sussex estate

Cowdray Park Stay And Play Review

Par 70, 6,325 yards

Greenfee: £35-£60 per round

This downland course offers up some magnificent views from the higher holes, most notably from the 5th tee after a steady ascent.

The 4th is perhaps the toughest of the opening four, climbing steeply to a green partly hidden by trees, especially if you stray too far left off the tee.

The double green on the 8th/16th features some very interesting mounds and contours, while the 9th is then a delightful short par 3 close to the woods with another challenging green.

The long par-4 10th may be the toughest test of all, sweeping down and up to one of several two-tier greens, one or two of which slope away from you.

My visit was in January, but thankfully the downland turf ensures excellent year-round playability when other less-fortunate courses are struggling a little.

Also play… The Top 100-ranked heathland course at Liphook in Hampshire (liphookgolfclub.com) is just 20 minutes north of Cowdray.

Accommodation

Much has changed at Cowdray since my last visit, which was longer ago than I’d thought.

The main change is that the clubhouse I knew has been transformed into a very classy golf lodge, while the spacious new clubhouse sits closer to the 1st tee and 18th green.

The accommodation in the old clubhouse comprises four rooms and two suites, all of which have recently been refurbished to a very high standard, with exposed beams, low doorways and a comfortable ambience the order of the day.

The most recent addition to the accommodation offering is the Bothy, which now offers the height of self-contained bijou luxury – a snug, comfy and classy retreat for two.

The breakfast in the clubhouse is both hearty and delicious.

Where else… The Weald and Downland Living Museum at Singleton (wealddown.co.uk) features more than 50 rescued and preserved rural buildings.

Best Deal

Stay and play packages start from £85pp for one round of golf, bed and breakfast, or from £120pp for 36 holes, bed and breakfast. Sunday/Monday stays are popular.

Where

Cowdray Golf Lodge stands on the A272 in the village of Easebourne, a mile or so east of the West Sussex town of Midhurst.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £30 per round Trolley hire: £4 per round Power trolley hire: £12 per round Club hire: £10 per round per set Driving range: Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes Price of a pint: From £4

Expand Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Jeremy Ellwood heads up to Tommy Fleetwood’s home…

Expand Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play

Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play

Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play.…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood enjoys an overnight stay at this delightful small hotel in the Scottish Borders

The Roxburghe Stay And Play Review

Par 72, 6,546 yards

Greenfee: £65 (or £200 per four-ball)

Ever since first seeing photos of the signature viaduct hole – the 14th – I’d wanted to play this Dave Thomas creation that opened in 1997.

It didn’t disappoint either, proving to be a peaceful haven of solitude blessed with superb bunkering throughout.

It was in excellent late-September condition too, despite heavy overnight rain.

The front nine was exceptional, with holes like the curving 2nd and the tough par-3 4th over water standing out.

But the 10th and 11th were the stars for me, the former a gorgeous long par 4 sweeping down to the banks of the River Teviot, the latter then flanking the 10th before climbing to a raised green.

As for that signature 14th, the view from the tee is magnificent.

Also play... The Hirsel (hirselgc.co.uk) is a lovely parkland course 20 minutes away in Coldstream.

Accommodation

This picture-perfect stone building is home to 22 bedrooms, many with four-poster beds and some with open fires to mirror the one that greets you warmly in the hallway.

It is a delightful and homely place to stay, with furnishings, books and paintings borrowed from the Duke of Roxburghe’s own home.

The wonderful Chez Roux restaurant is overseen by Albert Roux, but I opted to eat in the cosy and lively Library bar, a real gem of a snug.

The courtyard houses an excellent health and beauty suite, with the Roxburghe Shooting School also on site (groups can even try their hand at tomahawk throwing).

Salmon fishing is available on the Tweed and Teviot rivers, while woodland walks abound.

Where else… Floors Castle (floorscastle.com) at the heart of the Roxburghe Estates offers everything from collections of fine art to splendid riverside walks.

Best Deal

The Winter Golf Offer runs from January 8 to March 28, 2018 and costs from £219 per person from Monday to Saturday.

It includes accommodation in a standard double room, breakfast, a three-course dinner from the Daily Menu and a round of golf.

Where

Just north of Jedbergh, on the A68 Newcastle to Edinburgh road, take the A698 towards Kelso.

Follow the signs for the hotel as you come into the village of Heiton three miles before you get to Kelso.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £30 per round Trolley hire: £4 per round Power trolley hire: £12.50 per round Club hire: £30 per round Driving range: Yes, £4 for 50 balls Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes, in the clubhouse Price of a pint: From £3.60

Expand Roxburghe Hotel & GC

Roxburghe Hotel & GC

This track is one of the best looking…

Expand 43 – Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play The Roxburghe

43 – Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play The Roxburghe

Stay and Play The Roxburghe. Golf Monthly takes…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

Jeremy Ellwood heads up to Tommy Fleetwood’s home patch to find out what’s on offer at this popular north-west resort

Formby Hall Stay And Play Review

Championship: par 72, 6,775 yards; Woodhey Dunes: par 27, 1,395 yards

Greenfee: £25-£55 weekdays, £30-£70 weekends (varies with season)

The Championship course has hosted both the European Senior and Challenge Tours, with Formby Hall’s favourite son securing his maiden professional win here in 2011 on the EuroPro Tour.

The course can stretch to over 7,000 yards (if so desired!), but it is predominantly flat so a relatively gentle walk.

There is much water to contend with, and despite being some way from the coast, many tricky revetted bunkers, too.

Water cuts in tight to the 3rd and 4th greens heading out, and coming home poses the greatest threat on the demanding par-4 15th and the par-3 16th, which is all carry.

The par-3 Woodhey Dunes course is the perfect place to fine-tune your iron play, with holes ranging from 123 to 182 yards.

Also play… The superb links at Formby (formbygolfclub.co.uk) is ranked 39th in Golf Monthly’s current UK & Ireland Top 100.

Accommodation

There are now 76 bedrooms in this four-star hotel set alongside the 18th hole, all refurbished in 2017.

They range from Classic rooms to spacious new Deluxe Loft rooms.

The contemporary Fairway Grill restaurant looks out over the golf course and offers restaurant, light lunch and Sunday lunch menus.

The Spa and Health Club have something for everyone, from therapy rooms, steam rooms and a 20m pool to a MyGym fitness studio featuring 40+ stations of the latest Technogym equipment.

If golf remains the focus even away from the course, there’s an impressive PGA Academy on site, complete with the Harold Swash Putting School of Excellence.

Where else… Check out Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’, an art installation featuring 100 life-size figures on Crosby Beach.

Best Deal

Winter Golf Getaways start from £89pppn from Monday to Thursday until the end of March 2018, based on two sharing.

Offer includes one night’s dinner, bed and breakfast with unlimited golf, £10 bar credit and complimentary use of the pool and leisure suite.

Where

Formby Hall is well signposted from the A565 Southport Old Road just north of Formby and six miles south of Southport.

Checklist

Buggy hire: £35 per round Trolley hire: £5 per round Power trolley hire: £12.50 per round Club hire: £30 per round Driving range: Yes Putting green: Yes Short-game area: Yes Pro shop: Yes Changing rooms: Yes Sky TV: Yes Price of a pint: From £4

Expand 46 – Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play Formby Hall

46 – Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play Formby Hall

Stay and Play Formby Hall. Golf Monthly takes…

For more golf course reviews, check the Golf Monthly website and follow our social media channels

The golf club interview may be less common than it once was, but if the club you want to join insists on one, how should you approach the big day?

The joining process varies greatly from club to club, but while many have dispensed with the formality of an interview in a world where supply now outstrips demand, getting into many clubs can still be quite a formal process.

Those new to the game may find it strange that you should have to go through an interview for the privilege of then handing over a significant sum of money – especially if hefty joining fees are involved – but where ‘competition’ for available memberships still exists, the golf club interview can be quite a daunting prospect for anyone who has set his or her heart on joining that club.

The good news is that in most instances, by the time of the interview you’re already halfway there, because most such clubs require your application to be proposed and seconded by existing members, and if a friend or business colleague is willing to put your name forward, they must be confident that you will fit in. That should put you at ease, for if you are worthy of their support, all you need to do is be yourself as your proposer clearly believes you are right for the club.

Dress appropriately, just as you would for a job interview. Usually at the type of club requiring an interview, this means jacket and tie, though not always. If you're unsure, check with your proposer. If you’re new to the area and haven't gone through the normal proposer/seconder channels, err on the side of caution. It’s hard to be overdressed in a jacket and tie, and ensures you won’t make an underdressing faux-pas.

When it comes to what to say, they are trying to find out more about you and make sure that you share the same general outlook as the existing members. They are not there to catch you out, so be confident without attempting to oversell yourself or make false claims about your golfing experience and prowess.

I’ve been a member of about half a dozen golf clubs in the last 30 years, and it is probably 15 years, and three or four clubs ago, that I last attended an interview. But, like it or not, the process still exists at many clubs, even if others are now only interested in the colour of your money. So, if the club you want to join requires an interview, be prepared, be courteous, be yourself and leave them with no doubt that you are right for them.

And if the very idea of an interview seems a bit much to you, then it’s quite possible that the club in question may not be right for you anyway.

If you still have any golfing energy left, try and find time for a couple more games before heading home on the A55, the impressive trunk road that can whisk you back to the main UK motorway network in next to no time via a series of bridges, tunnels and occasional cliff-hugging stretches.

Maesdu and North Wales Golf Clubs lie just the other side of the Conwy estuary, with the latter's ruggedly natural links barely two holes wide between railway and estuary for a spell around the turn. A few miles further east, the beautiful parkland layout at Abergele just off the A55 offers a very pleasant alternative to the region's acclaimed coastal golf.

As almost everywhere in Wales, there are castles and steam railways round every corner. The imposing strongholds at Conwy and Caernarfon are among the most impressive in the land, while the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways combine to transport holidaymakers some 40 miles through the beautiful North Wales countryside. For the ultimate holiday railway experience though, let the train take the strain to the very summit of North Wales via the Snowdon Mountain Railway which has been ferrying the less energetically minded 3,560ft up since the late 19th century.

One thing's for sure - wherever you decide to tee it up here, you'll be savouring more of Wales' renowned ‘golf as it should be'. All the courses on this extended road trip have been hugely enjoyable and often spectacular; the people have, without fail, been friendly and welcoming; the fairways have invariably been uncrowded; the costs have been modest relative to comparable courses elsewhere; and the backdrops have been stunning, whether gazing up towards mountains, across rolling green countryside, or out to sea.

This particular journey may now be complete but although I have successfully golfed my way up from the Valleys to North Wales, I have inevitably only really scratched the surface of what golf in Wales has to offer. I have no doubt I'll be back soon to explore further, and I heartily recommend that you consider doing likewise.

Where to stay, play and visit in North Wales:

Before leaving the Lln Peninsula, wander a little further down to Abersoch where Harry Vardon's original links nine has since been complemented by a newer nine making for an excellent overall package. Watch out for the cottage on the 7th, which could well come into play if your drive strays too far left. Abersoch isn't the only course on the peninsula with contrasting nines. Back along its southern coast, the 112-year-old Pwllheli Golf Club boasts a mix of pure links and majestic parkland holes courtesy of Old Tom Morris and James Braid.

The game's early greats were hard at work creatively in this part of the world, for Braid was also responsible for the part links, part heathland layout at Porthmadog, close to our base for the second night - the famous Portmeirion village where the 1960s TV series, The Prisoner, was filmed, and which is up there with Nefyn when it comes to uniqueness.

This little piece of Italy in the north-west corner of Wales was the brainchild and vision of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, who spent some 50 years building it from 1925 until 1975. It is simultaneously beautiful and surreal, believed by some to be based on the Italian fishing village of Portofino, coincidentally (or not, perhaps?) located in a similar crook on the north-west Italian coast. You can stay here in the hotel down on the waterfront, or in one of a number of properties spread around the village, and walking down from our Cliff House cottage to dine in the hotel's elegant Terrace restaurant was a very pleasant way to pass an evening reflecting on the day's golf.

From here, it's worth venturing north across either Thomas Telford's Menai Bridge or Robert Stephenson's Britannia Bridge to the Isle of Anglesey, where Bull Bay is the most northerly of some nine island courses. Swathes of gorse, and wonderful views across Bull Bay to the Irish Sea, paint a very pretty golfing picture indeed here.

We then headed back across the Menai Straits and on east up the excellent A55 North Wales Expressway for a long overdue date with Conwy Golf Club, one of North Wales' most renowned links, which had thus far eluded me some 30 years into my golfing ‘career'. There's gorse in abundance here too, especially over the fearsomely tight closing holes. Such was the friendliness of the members that one even insisted on giving us his beautifully prepared, and indeed laminated, course guide, pointing towards some ominous clouds on the horizon.It was a thoughtful gesture, but thankfully the rain missed us, and we finished a very enjoyable round under a golden sun.

The course once again plays host to the European Senior Tour this August (24-26), when the stars of yesteryear - who are still mighty fine players today - pay their third visit for the Speedy Services Wales Senior Open. It's easy to see why too, as the course presents a fine test of links golf blessed with magnificent backdrops all around.

Unlike Nefyn, Conwy plays at sea level; like Nefyn, there is drama aplenty in the surroundings, whether out to the Irish Sea, across the Conwy estuary to Llandudno and the Great Orme, or inland to the dramatically adjacent hills that form a stirring backdrop to holes like the excellent par-3 13th, just before you take on the aforementioned gorse in earnest down the stretch. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of holes here, a clever blend of chances to score and some sterner challenges.

A trip to Conwy Golf Club:

It's not the only links in this neck of the woods either, and although time did not allow on this trip, I had played both Aberdovey and Borth & Ynyslas in the recent past - the former a links of high renown playing over a slender, curving strip between railway and beach; the latter bisected by the coast road just north of Aberystwyth, with the best holes tucked away out of sight of the passing traffic mid-round, where the taller dunes make their presence felt. If you like your links golf with a near-permanent sea view, Borth ticks all the boxes with several holes playing a little too close to the beach for the comfort of my slightly wayward shots!

For a truly unique challenge on your way in or out of the country, find time to savour Llanymynech where Wales' only Major champion, Ian Woosnam, learned his golf. Most of the course lies in Wales, but three holes are in England, and on the 4th you actually tee off in the land of the red dragon and putt out in the land of the red cross, although when I played here a few years ago I'm not entirely sure my ball made it over the border before being consigned to the pocket after one or two ‘issues'! Even without this unique claim to fame, the course is one to remember for the views - the near-360˚ panorama from the 11th fairway and 12th tee stretches for miles on a clear day.

My road trip through Wales had now taken me from the south, across to the west and up through the heart of the country, and at every step I'd been reminded of the wonderful variety there is to the Welsh golfing landscape. You can be playing a majestic parkland course one minute, a rugged moorland layout the next, then a fine links test the next without ever feeling hurried or pressured, invariably parting with less money for the pleasure than seems quite right, and never having to drive too far.

The final leg of my ‘golf as it should be' road trip takes me north to some of the most spectacular courses in the land, including the dramatic clifftop layout at Nefyn which you've probably seen a thousand times in photos even if you've not yet been...

Where to stay, play and visit in Mid Wales:

From here it was back on to the A470 - Wales' major north-south trunk road - for the drive north to Harlech and its celebrated Royal St David's links. I'd almost forgotten what a scenic thrill this route provides in places, but if you're looking to break the journey, turn off at Builth Wells and treat yourself to a round at Llandrindod Wells, a Harry Vardon course dating back to 1905.

Not long by modern standards, it plays over beautiful upland turf looking down over the spa town. Wind can be a factor, but with the card not quite stretching to 5,800 yards, it offers everything visiting golfers could possibly wish for - fun golf in a beautiful setting without every facet of their games being tested to the very limit.

On reaching Harlech, we headed first to the town's imposing 13th century castle before a late afternoon tee-time on the famous links, over which the sturdy fortress peers masterfully. Castles have long held a fascination for me and on every family holiday, the moment my brother and I spotted one, we'd be pleading with dad to stop the car so we could explore.

Nowhere does castles better than Wales, of course, and a little bit of the young boy clearly remains in me, with my curiosity not satisfied until I'd visited every nook and cranny, and climbed every tower and staircase. Eventually I dragged myself away, staring back up at it in awe five minutes later from the 1st tee at Royal St David's, having safely negotiated the railway line twixt car park and clubhouse.

There's something of a steady build to the course, with the front nine playing further from the sea and over terrain that's somewhere between links and heathland in feel. But from the 10th, its links side really kicks in with holes that first flank the ridge of dunes between course and sea, then play along wonderfully hummocky fairways, with the rollercoaster 15th the pick of the bunch. Standing behind the green looking back up this hole towards the peaks of Snowdonia with the mighty castle away to your right is one of Welsh golf's most iconic views.

We finished in near-darkness, enjoying a quick chat and drink with the friendly members, before heading back over the railway and onto golfing pastures new, safe in the knowledge that a links of this quality elsewhere in the UK would cost considerably more than the £67 Royal St David's is charging for a full day's golf this summer.

A trip to Royal St David's Golf Club, Mid Wales:

Geographically, Mid Wales covers the large central band from the Brecon Beacons up to the southern foothills of Snowdonia, and from Offa's Dyke across to Cardigan Bay. The terrain is ruggedly beautiful in places, as is some of the golf if you venture off the beaten track. But before I did so, it was time for a spot of old-world charm and luxury in the delightful Peterstone Court Hotel just outside Brecon, where I spent a peaceful and comfortable night before reacquainting myself with another favourite Welsh course of mine, first visited 25 years ago.

Little did I know then that the beautiful parkland course at Cradoc was less than 20 years old; nor did I know just how grandly spectacular the Brecon Beacons were, having erroneously believed that North Wales had it all its own way when it came to rugged mountains. Indeed, Pen y Fan, the highest peak, only narrowly misses the magic 3,000 mark by 93ft, and I can vouch for its ruggedness having trekked to the very top several times, once in mid-winter when water droplets had frozen surreally horizontally from the pathside wire fences.

Anyway, I digress. The course at Cradoc was as I'd remembered it, save for 25 years of tree growth prompting an inevitable narrowing of certain fairways, especially on the sharp dogleg right 16th where trying to knock it over the corner is now fraught with danger, perhaps even folly. Before then, I had to doublecheck whether another hole - the shortish par-4 11th - was as fiendishly tricky as I'd remembered, forcing a choice between laying back and potentially blocking yourself out if you strayed too far right, or taking the hole on and relying on pinpoint accuracy to set up a short approach. On balance, I think it probably was, with my aggressive tee-shot drifting too far right into chip-out country. The club is exceptionally welcoming, so much so that in 2005 it was voted Welsh Golf Club of the Year.

Next I made a diversion down the A470 to the Brecon Mountain Railway, and a favourite spot of mine, the disused 455ft-long Pontsarn Viaduct, which once carried trains from Merthyr Tydfil to Brecon. It's now part of the Taff Trail, a cycle path running all the way from Cardiff to Brecon, while the mountain railway operates narrow-gauge trains along a five-mile stretch past reservoirs and up towards the Beacons with picnic spots and lineside walks to enjoy. The railway wasn't fully open for the season, but on looking suitably crestfallen I was granted every schoolboy's wish - permission to clamber up into the cab of the biggest locomotive in the shed and do my best Casey Jones impression.

A trip to Cradoc Golf Club, Mid Wales

All work (if golf can ever be classed as work even for a journalist!) and no play make Jack a dull boy though, so you should also make time for the region's many off-course attractions, some of which might just surprise you. Let's start with whisky. Wrong Celtic country, I hear you say. Well, Penderyn Distillery in Aberdare has been making one cask a day since 2004, and a trip to the visitor centre is a must for any malt whisky lover.

Thirty miles south of Penderyn, Llanerch Vineyard not only produces a wonderful range of crisp and highly drinkable Welsh wines under its Cariad label (Welsh for ‘sweetheart'), but also offers vineyard tours, exceptional accommodation and a very popular bistro. A short drive away, Cardiff Bay is Europe's largest waterfront development, and here you'll find countless shops, all manner of restaurants and eateries, and a multitude of water-based activities and other attractions ranging from the Wales Millennium Centre to the lovely little Norwegian Church, which was once a place of worship for visiting Scandinavian sailors, but is now home to art exhibitions, concerts and a very cosy waterfront coffee shop.

But of course, golf is what you've come for first and foremost, and South Wales' enviably varied line-up boasts much to tempt you, whether you're a lover of classic links golf, wonderful hilltop tests, stunning parkland layouts or modern championship courses. This really is ‘golf as it should be' in every sense, and just what every golfer craves - beautiful and majestic scenery, an unhurried pace, no unnecessary airs and graces, and green fees that are unexpectedly kind on the wallet.

Add in that renowned Welsh welcome, and you really can have it all, it would seem. There...I fear I may have said too much now about the golfing secret I first discovered a quarter of a century ago - but to keep it all to myself any longer would be just a touch selfish, wouldn't it?

 Where to stay, play ad visit in South Wales:

That famous Welsh song proudly proclaims, ‘We'll keep a welcome in the hillside, we'll keep a welcome in the vales', and nowhere can this be truer than in the region's many golf clubs, where I've only ever been greeted and treated as you would hope to be. They keep just as friendly a welcome on the coast too, even at the south's most famous and revered links, the mighty Royal Porthcawl. The clubhouse is exactly how a good golf clubhouse should be - warm and welcoming, steeped in history and with magnificent sea views. Soaking it all up with a reviving post-round drink is hard to beat, especially when you consider the quality of the links you've just played.

The sea is visible from every hole too, perhaps a little too closely over the opening trio where anything straying left will end up out of bounds among the pebbles. But if you do end up OOB, you'll be in good company, as Tiger himself made just such a faux-pas against Gary Wolstenholme in the 1995 Walker Cup.

Links golf of this quality would come at a considerably higher price elsewhere in the UK, and that holds true for nearby Pyle & Kenfig too - where several holes play through dunes the like of which you'll find nowhere else in the country - and the exhilaratingly rugged hilltop test at Southerndown, just inland from Ogmore-by-Sea.

For my most recent Porthcawl trip, I'd moved on a little from the spare room at my brother's house, and based myself at The Bear Hotel in Cowbridge, a few miles west of Cardiff. This ancient yet contemporary inn really is the ideal base from which to explore both the courses on the coast, and the hilltop tracks in the Valleys. But if you wanted to set up camp further east, The Newbridge on Usk, part of the Celtic Manor Collection near Abergavenny, is a fine old riverside ‘restaurant with rooms', where you can dine in style in the two AA Rosette restaurant.

The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, with its three courses and imposing hotel, has done much to put Welsh golf firmly on the map, hosting the Wales Open since 2000 and that memorable Ryder Cup in 2010. The eponymous Twenty Ten course also played host to the ISPS Handa Wales Open from May 31 to June 3 this year, with Thongchai Jaidee triumphing. But South Wales' tour heritage dates back much further - the Old Course at Marriott St Pierre near Chepstow was a tour stop for many years, and also hosted the 1996 Solheim Cup.

More recently, the Vale Resort at Hensol near Cardiff has further bolstered South Wales' golf resort credentials with two courses to enjoy, including the Wales National, one of the longest tests in Europe. Like me, you'll probably enjoy it more by setting your ego aside and venturing forward to some slightly more playable tees!

 A trip to Royal Porthcawl:

I have to say that I feel slightly fortunate to have stolen a march on many by discovering the joys of South Wales golf almost by chance some 25 years ago when my brother was considerate enough to relocate to the Valleys, thus paving the way for some extremely cost-effective golfing breaks. My pals and I took full, shameless advantage, taking in a whole raft of wonderful Valleys layouts that still hold very special memories for me.

One of my favourites was Morlais Castle, a rugged moorland layout just outside Merthyr Tydfil, which I first played when it was still a nine-holer back in the mid 1980s. I remember it well because I was the only one on the course on a Saturday afternoon, the reason for which became all too apparent in the bar afterwards. It was packed to the rafters with members glued to the Wales-England rugby match, bemused as to how anyone could possibly put golf above their national sport!

Okay, there was good reason for the deserted course that day, but my many trips to the region since have taught me that an uncrowded fairway or two is more or less par for the course in Wales. I'd not been back to the now 18-hole Morlais Castle for some years, so was delighted on my recent visit to discover that, other than a few tweaks and improvements, everything was just as I'd fondly remembered it. The magic spell of those magnificent views across to the Brecon Beacons, and the sheer tranquillity of the fairways, still take some beating.

We got that same liberating hilltop feel too at Mountain Ash, a short-but-beautiful heathland track on Cefnpennar Mountain whose final hole plunges back down dramatically, and Rhondda, perched high on the mountain plateaux above the valley, where each hole is named after one of the collieries once scattered liberally throughout these valleys. We also savoured the Rolls of Monmouth, a majestic parkland course east of Abergavenny, so-called not because of the rolling terrain, but for the stirring backdrop to the 18th hole - a splendid manor house that was home to the Rolls family of Rolls-Royce fame until 1987.

 A trip to Morlais Castle Golf Club:

The 50-mile Gower Peninsula coast path is blessed with non-stop views, and although there was no time for even a modest stretch this visit, I mentally marked it down for a future family holiday ‘project'. For those who can't resist the lure of the cash register, the unique seaside village of Mumbles on the east Gower coast boasts some 120 shops and restaurants, while back closer to Tenby, the small town of Narberth offers a step-back-in-time shopping experience far removed from today's identikit modern High Streets, with a host of independent and specialist shops to browse through at leisure.

Carry on west from here, and eventually you'll arrive in St David's, Britain's smallest city and home to an unexpectedly grand cathedral. This mighty edifice contrasts with the city's little nine-hole golf course over which we played many a fun round all those years ago. It was one of those ‘honesty box' courses, where you rolled up, chucked a few quid in the box and headed on out with quite possibly no other golfers in sight. And it was still like that when I returned more recently for nine holes with my now late father-in-law, who found its gentle test the perfect challenge for his more occasional golfing outings.

The other nine-holer we always used to enjoy was the links at Newport just up the Pembrokeshire coast, with one hole in particular living long in the memory for our inability to ever find its green! It was a par-3 at the far end of the course, invariably played in a crosswind that did all manner of unfavourable things to our seemingly well-struck shots. The course has since grown into an 18-holer with its own hotel, but I'm quite sure that hole will still be confounding and confusing in equal measure.

West Wales really is an ideal golfing destination, one where you can stride the fairways in peace and solitude without ever making a serious dent in your wallet, even at its premier clubs - ‘golf as it should be', once more. As with South Wales, you'll get to experience golf's full spectrum, from links, clifftop and parkland to the modern championship test at Machynys. Some golfing travellers may dread the point where the motorway ends and they're at the mercy of the lesser roads, but in the case of West Wales, when the M4 has run its course, that's when the fun really begins.

Where to stay, play and visit in West Wales:

Arriving at a golf club early evening in April may seem strange if you're hoping to get all 18 holes in, but Tenby has its own comfortable and, indeed, recently refurbished dormy house accommodation, allowing us to stumble out of bed the next morning and walk a mere 30 yards for a hearty clubhouse breakfast before hitting the 1st tee while the rest of the golfing world was still wiping the sleep from its eyes. It also allowed us to chat to Tenby's friendly younger members over a pint or two in the bar the night before as they executed a carefully planned surprise birthday ‘do' for one of their number.

Tenby is a delightful walled Pembrokeshire town with two beaches accessed via a network of paths up and down the cliffs. The South Beach offers views out to Caldey Island where monks spend their time creating excellent chocolate and perfume. More importantly for golfers, it also flanks the town's fine links, which sets its stall out from the tough 1st before taking you on an immensely enjoyable ride through rolling fairways, tall dunes, pot bunkers and occasionally testing green complexes. Here, you can play for just £70 all day or £50 a round in the height of summer (just £25 during twilight hours) on a links, the calibre of which would set you back considerably more elsewhere in the UK.

While in the area you should also visit the links courses at Ashburnham and Machynys Peninsula, both near Llanelli. Long-established Ashburnham twice hosted the PGA Championship before it set up permanent camp at Wentworth, while 21st-century Machynys Peninsula is Wales' first Nicklaus-designed course. This modern take on the links theme has already tested Europe's top lady pros four times in the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe.

From Machynys you'll enjoy views across to the famous Gower Peninsula, designated Britain's very first ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' back in 1956. Any trip to West Wales should include a stop here, not least for the chance to play the pretty clifftop course at Langland Bay, and the fabulous ‘links in the sky' at Pennard, which provides a genuine links experience a couple of hundred feet above glorious golden sands, with a touch of tangible history thrown in too in the form of a ruined castle and 13th-century church by the short par-4 7th.

Talking of glorious golden sands, Gower is renowned for its beaches, and after a long 36-hole day we felt privileged to arrive at Rhossili's three-mile stretch just in time for the kind of sunset you feel must have been artificially enhanced in photos. With the flaming orange sun descending gradually to the thundering waves it was a magical moment for both the surfers taking full advantage, and us, as we stared open-mouthed at the breathtaking vista before us.

It certainly made it worth our slightly tardy arrival at Fairyhill ten minutes away in Reynoldston, a charming 18th-century Georgian mansion delivering real class and the warmest of welcomes. From the moment you turn into the tucked-away entrance down a quiet country lane, everything is ‘just so' whether in the tastefully decorated rooms, bar and restaurant, or the grounds, where a thoughtfully placed bench by a meandering stream provides the perfect spot to reflect on the day's golf or just enjoy a moment of quiet contemplation.

 A trip to Tenby Golf Club, West Wales:

Last month I reflected on my earliest golfing holidays to South Wales with friends, but like all youngsters, eventually we wanted to spread our wings for golfing pastures new. We began to venture a little further west, enjoying a couple of wonderful golfing trips in delightful Pembrokeshire, where we tested our fledgling golfing skills at the likes of Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Newport and St David's City golf clubs. What we didn't do was stop at any courses en route, among them James Braid's hilltop treat at Neath, which recently reinstated a once-abandoned Braid tee on its 3rd hole to create a living link with the course's past.

This omission was remedied on my recent Wales trip, and I'd encourage any lovers of hilltop golf to do the same. Braid spoke of Neath's setting in glowing terms, and he wasn't alone, for the great Henry Cotton went as far as to say he'd "never before seen such golfing beauty as at Neath". Both probably had the 10th and 11th in mind when penning their tributes - holes that hug the edge of the highest plateau with views to die for - and the dramatic 15th which descends to the lower ground some 80ft below in truly rapid fashion. There's a tremendous sense of freedom to be had high above the hustle and bustle of the town, and we still had that feeling later in the afternoon as we drove on to Tenby, Wales' oldest club.

A trip to Neath Golf Club: